BY ERNIE MAGNOTTA

Writer/director/producer Russell Rouse may not be a household name, but his credits are pretty impressive. For instance, he co-wrote the 1949 film noir classic D.O.A. (and the 1988 remake). Russell also co-wrote and directed the 1956 western The Fastest Gun Alive which starred Glenn Ford. He was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing the 1951 drama The Well, and in 1959 Rouse finally won the Oscar for co-writing the Pillow Talk screenplay. Recently, the 1967 heist film The Caper of the Golden Bulls, which was directed by Rouse, has been released on Blu-ray.

The Caper of the Golden Bulls concerns former bank robber Peter Churchman (Stephen Boyd) who is blackmailed by an old flame (Giovanna Ralli) into stealing priceless jewels from a bank in Spain. Along with his girlfriend (Yvette Mimieux) and his old crew, Churchman attempts to pull off the dangerous heist during the annual “Running of the Bulls” festival.

Filmed on location in Spain, The Caper of the Golden Bulls is an entertaining and well-done caper film which features fun performances from Boyd, Mimieux and Ralli as well as from many other talented and familiar faces (who all seem to be having a good time) such as Vito Scotti, Walter Slezak, Clifton James, Jay Novello, Henry Beckman, Leon Askin, J.G. Devlin, Arnold Moss and Noah Keen.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It’s a very watchable caper flick with a strong cast, an involving story, solid direction and beautiful locations. The cute film also benefits from a terrific musical score by the great Vic Mizzy and lovely cinematography by Academy Award nominee Harold E. Stine. I definitely recommend checking it out.

The Caper of the Golden Bulls has been released on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. The film is presented in its original 1:85:1 aspect ratio, the 4K transfer looks great and the audio is clear. Special Features include an audio commentary by film historian Phillipa Berry and trailers for the films Topkapi, The Brink’s Job, Loophole, The Real McCoy, The Mercenary and The Neptune Factor.

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By Darren Allison

It’s always good to see one of our leading European labels continue to bring us some exciting scores from the 1970s.

José María Forqué's La Donna Della Calda Terra (CSC 037) (aka La Mujer De La Tierra Caliente or Fury, as it is sometimes referred to in English territories) was made in 1978. The movie was a product of the erotic cinema cycle which was still popular throughout the remaining years of the decade. The genre was popularised by films such as Emmanuelle (1974) and would lead to many spin- offs and sequels. La Donna Della Calda Terra starred Laura Gemser who was perhaps best known for her role in Black Emanuelle (1975). As so often with these budgeted European movies, a one-time Hollywood star (who had seen their better days) was hired for a week or two - providing them not only with a pay cheque, but also an all-expenses paid vacation abroad, and in this instance it was Stuart Whitman who took full advantage. The film tells the story of two unnamed characters (Gemser and Whitman) who, despite very different backgrounds, come together. She is a village girl with ambitions; he is a man whose wife has recently died. The two of them converse and get to know one another, and so a journey of discovery begins. Despite their different social backgrounds and a considerable age difference, the couple eventually begin an intimate relationship.

The music score for La Donna Della Calda Terra was composed by Carlo Savina, a composer whose filmography covers almost every genre of Italian cinema - from the 1950s through to the 1980s. His music here has an unusual distinction in that the score was heavily rethought during the editing and eventually the first half hour is left without music, except for the opening titles. Thus, Savina's score begins when the film changes up the narrative structure and instead of telling the stories on two parallel storylines, they start to intercut them more frequently in order to draw stronger parallels between both central characters. Whilst the general focus is more tailored towards Gemser's storyline, the switch to a hunting trip in the man's storyline helps to reframe the girl's next chapter in the film’s narrative. There’s a really nice mix of styles in Savina’s music. Yes, there is the obligatory funky disco beat that peppered a great deal of these productions from this era, but there is also a great deal more. There are some gentle, romantic cues provided by acoustic guitar, some slightly more suspenseful, atmospheric pieces that reflect the tension brought upon by the relationship and even some traditional Mexicana. But overall, La Donna Della Calda Terra is light, breezy and distinctly European in its flavour. Moreover, the score is elevated to an entirely higher level with the inclusion of some wonderful wordless vocals by Edda Dell'Orso both on the main titles and several other cues. Uniquely identifiable, she remains the ultimate, signature voice of European film scoring.

Chris' Soundtrack Corner has made this score available for essentially the first time. With literally half the score going unused in the beginning of the film, this soundtrack album offers the first opportunity to enjoy the composer's playful variations of catchy thematic material, sensual tropical exotica, and even some highly melodramatic mini masterpieces - all of which is presented in a beautifully produced package. The album benefits from a first class production by Christian Riedrich and mastering by Manmade Mastering. The CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated booklet designed by Tobias Kohlhaas and features exclusive (and exceptionally detailed) notes by Gergely Hubai, who explores both the making of the film and its score. Euro score fans will soak this up like a sponge.

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CSC’s second offering is the soundtrack to I Gabbiani Volano Basso (CSC 034) (aka Seagulls Fly Low), another film from 1978 and directed by Giorgio Cristallini (under the Americanised pseudonym of George Warner).

The movie was influenced by the number of Vietnam Vet dramas coming out of the United States in 1978 such as The Deer Hunter and Coming Home, and the Italian cinema didn't waste much time in capitalising on the commercial potential of these films.

Starring Italian actor Maurizio Merli, who was often typecast in tough cop roles, I Gabbiani Volano Basso tells the story of a Vietnam war veteran (Merli) who finds his post-war career in the private assassination business. After succeeding in a hit in Rome, using various aliases, the war vet gets into an altercation that leads to a wild chase involving the police, other killers, and a third shady business partner who wants to get the whole company for himself. While on the run, Merli's character hooks up with Isabelle (Nathalie Delon), the lonely owner of a Roman boutique shop who helps with his escape. But with the two other killers in tow, our hero must make an important decision between getting away safely while leaving Isabelle behind in danger, or making the ultimate sacrifice for the only woman who helped him selflessly.

The music for I Gabbiani Volano Basso was written by Roberto Pregadio, one of the few Italian Silver Age composers who also made a career as a television personality. In most of his film scoring collaborations, it was Pregadio's job to flesh out or transcribe the musical ideas of his co-composers who usually didn't have the necessary musical training to do so. Such was the case with I Gabbiani Volano Basso, where Pregadio is actually credited together with two members of the director's family, Paola and Carlo Cristallini, though only the latter is given credit. Besides the music that's in the film, the soundtrack also includes some major discoveries including music cues that were not originally heard in the finished film.

This release from Chris' Soundtrack Corner marks the premiere presentation of any of the music from I Gabbiani Volano Basso. Certain aspects of the recording indicate that the original production was prepared for the release of an eventual soundtrack album but the project did not materialise. One of these clues is that certain cues were recorded in shorter film versions as well as extended versions that would be more at home on a soundtrack or exploited on a later library LP, but neither saw the light of day. Among the differences preserved on the CD is "Title – versione disco", the record version of the opening music. This version is not only half a minute longer in comparison to the film version, but it's actually a different mix with a more prominent focus on the keyboard and the pop percussion, both of which appear in a lighter fashion in the movie. A great many of the tracks do follow an upbeat disco rhythm and electronic keyboard riffs, which provide an instant indicator of the film’s period setting. But it’s certainly not confined to a pulsating funk-filled timepiece, there are also a fair amount of more gentle, dreamlike moments that succeed in softening its harder edges and provide a welcome sense of calm and restfulness - so it’s a score that is nicely balanced. Its bonus tracks also include ‘Ricordi angoscianti’ - a traumatic and hectic cue which appears during a Vietnam flashback sequence shortly after Merli has completed his first hit in Rome. The album is superbly produced by Christian Riedrich and mastered by Manmade Mastering. The CD is accompanied by a 12-page illustrated booklet designed by Tobias Kohlhaas and featuring detailed, exclusive notes on the film and its score by Gergely Hubai.

Chris' Soundtrack Corner have managed to weave their magic again by taking two relatively obscure and seldom seen films by presenting their soundtracks with a new found sense of importance and respect. We can only be grateful that CSC is prepared and willing to take up the challenge in their quest for film music preservation.

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(Darren Allilson is the Soundtracks Editor for Cinema Retro.)

Writer Alan Spencer narrates the trailer for the 1980 "Get Smart" feature film, "The Nude Bomb" starring Don Adams. Spencer idolized Adams and when the film ran into some snags, he donated his talents and provided some gags. Spencer acknowledges the missteps in the production, namely the refusal to include Barbara Feldon's essential Agent "99" and a less-than-family friendly modern approach that seemed tasteless at times. Nevertheless, he assures us the film was profitable. He also fills us in on the scuttled plans to bring a "Get Smart" film to the screen as far back as 1965. 

By Ernie Magnotta

“Way down in the jungle deep, the lion stepped on the signifyin’ monkey’s feet.” Anyone who is familiar with that poem’s first line, most likely heard it from comedian/actor/singer, the late, great Rudy Ray Moore. Influenced by legendary comedians Red Foxx and Richard Pryor, Moore, who worked nightclubs throughout the 1960s, became popular through a series of hilarious and racy party albums he released in the early 70s, some of which featured Rudy Ray as a character named Dolemite; a sharply-dressed, supercool, humorous and loquacious, rhyming pimp-poet whose incredible strength and expert martial arts ability are equaled only by his sexual prowess. The albums and his live stand-up routine were so popular that, in 1975, the charismatic Moore took all of his earnings and decided to turn this larger-than-life urban hero into a kick-ass, comedic movie.

Bad-ass pimp Dolemite (Rudy Ray Moore, Petey Wheatstraw, The Devil's Son-In-Law), who was framed, incarcerated and had his club, The Total Experience, stolen from him by his evil rival Willie Green (D’Urville Martin, Black Caesar), is released from prison and, with help from the FBI, the loyal Queen Bee (Lady Reed, Disco Godfather) and Dolemite’s all-girl army of Kung Fu killers, sets out to bring Willie Green to justice and retake his rightful place as king of the streets.

Co-written (with actor Jerry Jones who appears in the film as an FBI agent) and produced by Rudy Ray Moore, Dolemite was directed by D’Urville Martin for the paltry sum of $100,000, but went on to gross $12 million. Rudy Ray not only capitalized on the popularity of his own adult party albums and the Dolemite character, but he smartly cashed in on the now legendary “Blaxploitation” craze started by wonderful films such as Shaft (1971), Super Fly (1972) and Three the Hard Way (1974) as well as the Kung Fu phenomenon that was sweeping the country, mostly due to the immortal Bruce Lee and his iconic 1973 film Enter the Dragon in particular.

The entertaining Dolemite not only features plenty of comedy and very quotable dialogue, but also, Kung Fu, adult language and liberal doses of sex and violence; not to mention a great musical score by Arthur Wright (The Human Tornado, The Crying Game) and the Filmore Street Soul Rebellion as well as a fun and memorable title song composed and sung by Ben Taylor. It also contains loads of unintended laughs which, along with Rudy Ray’s enjoyable ghetto poems, give the extremely low-budget film much of its charm. Some wonderful examples of Dolemite’s unintentional hilarity are visible boom mics, character’s talking over one another (“Flo!”), wooden line deliveries (“Another frame-up, hmm?”), a cop who attacks Dolemite and falls on his ass (no second takes), a lip-synching nightclub singer who is way out of synch, Rudy Ray almost falling asleep during a scene and D’Urville Martin saying to him, “Don’t get excited!”, and a character named Creeper who is also known as the Hamburger Pimp and is played by a real-life junkie (Vainus Rackstraw). Naturally, the film is also a fantastic early 70s time capsule featuring funky fashions (the ginormous, furry hats are my favorite) as well as wonderfully gaudy décor. For those who may turn their noses up at the film, Dolemite and the work of Rudy Ray Moore (who has rightly been dubbed “The Godfather of Rap”) has gone on to influence many; most notably a plethora of Rap artists including Snoop Dogg and the 2009 comedy classic Black Dynamite.

Dolemite has been released on Blu-ray/DVD by Vinegar Syndrome. The extremely fun film, which has been restored in 2k from its 35mm negative, is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and is extremely sharp and beautiful looking. We are also treated to a lovingly included full frame version (the VHS version everyone’s used to) which not only shows the boom mic in frame even more than the 1.85 version, but sometimes the sound guy too. Special features include a very informative making-of documentary by Elijah Drenner (That Guy Dick Miller) which contains remembrances from many of Dolemite’s cast and crew including Rudy Ray Moore, Jerry Jones and Ben Taylor; an entertaining interview with Lady Reed; a “Locations: Then & Now” featurette and a very thorough audio commentary by Rudy Ray’s biographer, Mark Jason Murray. Amongst many other interesting things, he talks about Rudy’s early days in show business, how the character of Dolemite came to be, the trials and tribulations that came with making the film and Rudy Ray’s life after his amazing 1970s reign (interspersed between Murray’s commentary are a few audio interviews with Rudy Ray, Jerry Jones and martial arts champion Howard Jackson (who appears in the film). Although cool and informative, some of these interviews are a bit muffled and somewhat hard to fully hear). There are also trailers for Dolemite and its hilarious sequel The Human Tornado (also released on Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome) as well as a reversible sleeve with the fun, eye-catching, original poster art. There’s also some cool new artwork, too. Both images are also featured on the discs themselves. If you’re a fan of Dolemite, Rudy Ray Moore or the 1970s “Blaxploitation” genre in general, this Blu-ray is a must have. Can you dig it?

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David Warner in "The Omen" (1976). (Photo: Cinema Retro Archive)

By Lee Pfeiffer

Movie fans are mourning the loss of British actor David Warner at age 80. Warner was known for often playing quirky characters in major films. He began acting in movies in the early 1960s while also appearing in stage productions. He studied his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. No specific cause of death was announced but his family confirmed he had been suffering from a "cancer-related illness" for the last 18 months. Warner rarely scored a leading role but had a distinguished career playing supporting roles in many high profile films.

His credits include "Titanic", "Morgan", the 2001 version of "Planet of the Apes", "In the Mouth of Madness", "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier", "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country", "The Man with Two Brains", "Tron", "The Concorde: Airport '79", "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "The Island", "Cross of Iron", "Straw Dogs", "The Ballad of Cable Hogue", "Perfect Friday", "The Fixer" and "The Deadly Affair". In the 1979 film "Time After Time", Warner played Jack the Ripper, who manages to travel through time to the modern era. One of his best-remembered roles was as the photographer who assists Gregory Peck in attempting to thwart the satanic threat in "The Omen".  His last screen appearance was in "Mary Poppins Returns" in 2018. For more, click here.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Producer/screenwriter/director Bob Rafelson passed away on Saturday, aged 89. Rafelson was one of the most prominent of the new generation of filmmakers who took Hollywood by storm in the mid-to-late 1960s. Along with his producing partner, the late Bert Schneider, he helped define a new wave of realistic movies that had special appeal to younger audiences. He was an Emmy-winner and Oscar nominee who co-created The Monkees and parlayed the success from the group's hit TV series and music into highly-praised feature films. He helped get "Easy Rider" brought to the screen, a film that made Jack Nicholson a major star. He and Nicholson would go on to collaborate on a total of seven movies. Rafelson often did not take screen credit but his films include "Five Easy Pieces", "The King of Marvin Gardens", "The Last Picture Show", "Hearts and Minds", "Stay Hungry", "The Postman Always Rings Twice", "Brubaker" and "Mountains of the Moon". He and Nicholson also wrote the screenplay for The Monkees' 1968 feature film satire "Head", which Rafelson also directed. For more, click here.

By Nicholas Anez

In 1981, United Artists released True Confessions, a Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler production directed by Ulu Grosbard. Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall star in the movie. It is about faith, hope, repentance and salvation. It is also about greed, corruption, pornography and murder.

The setting is Los Angeles of 1948. This is the City of Angels as conceived by John Gregory Dunne in his superb 1977 novel of the same title. Dunne was an accomplished novelist as well as a literary critic and a notable writer of non-fiction; his 1998 book, Monster: Living Off the Big Screen, is an invaluable account of the trials and tribulations of writing a screenplay in Hollywood. True Confessions is certainly his best novel and, together with Joan Didion (aka Mrs. Dunne), he adapted it to the screen. Didion was an equally fine novelist and was also known for her acerbic essays on California culture; in 1972, Didion and Dunne wrote the screenplay for Didion’s acclaimed 1970 novel Play It as It Lays. The screenplay for True Confessions naturally condenses the novel, which was 341 pages in its first edition, and eliminates many incidents as well as characters. Nevertheless, the movie still fully captures the essence of the novel. Actually, the screenplay improves upon the novel in one respect, possibly due to Didion’s involvement. Dunne seems to have written the novel in part as a form of therapy regarding his Irish-Catholic upbringing; by the novel’s midpoint, many of the characters seem to blend together as hopeless, cynical sinners. The movie is less critical of its main characters without softening the impact of the narrative. Significantly, the movie still captures Dunne’s insightful portrait of post-war Los Angeles. This is a city in which moral and spiritual decay flourish. And it is a city in which the excessively brutal murder of a young woman symbolizes the depravity that permeates every facet of its superficially glittering façade.

The film, like the novel, uses the factual Black Dahlia murder case of 1947 as a catalyst for the plot but it is primarily the story of the two Spellacy brothers and how their relationship becomes entwined with the murder of the woman whom the press calls “the virgin tramp.” Monsignor Desmond Spellacy (Robert De Niro) is an ambitious priest in the Catholic Church who hopes to rise someday to the position of cardinal even if it means neglecting his sacred vows. Detective Sergeant Tom Spellacy (Robert Duvall) is an embittered detective in the Los Angeles Police Department who is disgusted by the pervasive corruption and by the fact that he was once a part of it. Both Des and Tom are dealing with guilt which accounts in part for their strained relationship. Des has perhaps been repressing his guilt but as the story progresses it will come to the surface and he will have to confront it. Tom has lived with his guilt since he was a young vice cop and now sees an opportunity to expiate it. When the dissected body of Lois Fazenda is found in a vacant lot, it sets into motion a series of events that will involve both Tom and Des. Tom is in charge of investigating the murder while Des has a peripheral connection to the victim. Neither Tom nor Des initially realize it but the murder will propel them on a collision course.

This is a complex film and, as the story unfolds, it expands to include the compromises that individuals in the Los Angeles Police Department and in the Catholic Church must make to exist in a morally corrupt environment. Representative of this corruption is Jack Amsterdam (Charles Durning), a wealthy construction magnate and a respected member of the Catholic populace. Amsterdam also has a disreputable past of which both Tom and Des are aware. Nevertheless, Des has a history of awarding contracts for building projects within the diocese to Amsterdam in return for financial savings for the Church. It infuriates Tom that Des disregards Amsterdam’s unsavory past because of his wealth. However, Tom doesn’t know that Des is on the verge of terminating the Church’s association with Amsterdam. Des hopes to soften the jolt by awarding Amsterdam with a ceremony honoring him as Catholic Layman of the Year. Meanwhile, Tom’s investigation takes a surprising turn when Amsterdam’s name appears among the victim’s acquaintances. This increases his determination to solve the crime, regardless of how it may involve his brother.

Ulu Grosbard initially achieved fame as a Broadway theater director. He received two Tony nominations for Best Direction, in 1965 for Frank Gilroy’s The Subject Was Roses and in 1977 for David Mamet’s American Buffalo. Regarding his film career, some critics accused him of lacking an individual style as well as an artistic approach to the medium of film that would distinguish his movies. This may be due in part to the fact that, though his film career spanned three decades, he only directed seven movies (compared to eight Broadway plays), all of which are different in style and genre. He began his Hollywood career as an assistant director in the early 1960s. His first directorial credit was the film version of The Subject Was Roses (1968), which proved that he was equally adept with film as he was with the stage. He followed this with an interesting but pretentious misfire, Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971). However, his third film, Straight Time (1978), is another underrated gem. True Confessions followed and is undoubtedly his best film. He followed this with a modest romantic drama, Falling in Love (1984), also with De Niro.

Grosbard distinctly demonstrates cinematic expertise with True Confessions. He imbues the movie with a neo-noir atmosphere, though this may not be initially apparent from the film’s beginning. The movie opens in 1962 as the elderly Spellacy brothers reunite in a dilapidated church in the desert in Palm Springs. This will lead to the flashback to 1948 and the main narrative which begins with a wedding in an opulent church in Los Angeles. The stark difference between the rundown church in the desert and the multi-million dollar cathedral is readily apparent. Equally apparent is the difference between the humble appearance of the elderly desert priest and the luxuriously attired young city ecclesiastic, especially since they are the same person. The reason for this transformation, which the public and the press labeled his disgraceful downfall, is the heart of the story that follows.

Grosbard directs the film in a restrained manner, excluding any flamboyance which might distract from his emphasis on the characterizations of Des and Tom Spellacy. His direction includes several memorable sequences. The restaurant scene begins with Tom’s amusing response to an uppity maitre’d and ends with his angry confrontation with Amsterdam in front of an embarrassed Des. The Catholic Layman Award ceremony simmers with suppressed tension and climaxes with an even more violent altercation between Tom and Amsterdam. The confessional scene in which both Amsterdam and Tom furiously and unjustly lash out at Des instead of one another bristles with unbounded rage while eliciting sympathy for the beleaguered monsignor. And there are some quieter scenes which are notable for their sensitivity to the characters. The diner scene in which Desmond tries to express to Tom his regret for the course of his life reveals the latent tenderness between the brothers, an emotion which both are unable to express. The abandoned military base in which Tom discovers the sight of the murder is shocking in its underlying anguish for the savagely-murdered victim. Even more sorrowful is the scene in which Tom tries to console Lois Fazenda’s parents as they remember her innocent childhood full of hopes and dreams. Through scenes such as these, Grosbard gradually builds the emotional content of the story as well as the tension until the explosive penultimate scene outside the courthouse. The director received some criticism for the brevity of this scene, for not showing Amsterdam’s comeuppance and for not filming a more dynamic solution to the murder. But this would have distracted from his main theme which is why he returns to the desert church for the highly poignant finale.

By Ernie Magnotta

What more can be said about the immortal Kirk Douglas? He was a three-time Academy Award nominee who was finally given the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement award in 1996; not to mention being a loving family man and a philanthropist. With a tremendous body of work which showcases his incredible acting talent, Douglas was truly one of the icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age. A genuine movie star if ever there was one, Douglas headlined amazing movies such as Champion (1949), Detective Story (1951), Ace in the Hole (1951), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Lust for Life (1956), Spartacus (1960), 1963’s The List of Adrian Messenger (one of seven films he made with the great Burt Lancaster), and The Fury (1978). Just to name a few. Recently, our good friends at Kino Lorber have released A Lovely Way to Die; a crime neo noir film Douglas made for Universal Pictures in 1968.

Solidly directed by David Lowell Rich (The Horror at 37,000 Feet), A Lovely Way to Die tells the tale of Jim Schuyler (Douglas), a former cop who is hired by lawyer Tennessee Fredericks (played by the always impressive Eli Wallach) to protect Rena Westabrook (Sylva Koscina, Hercules Unchained), a woman who has been accused of murdering her wealthy husband.

Although not in the same league as some of the Douglas films I mentioned earlier, A Lovely Way to Die is a very enjoyable movie which also features the acting talents of Kenneth Haigh (TV’s The Twilight Zone), Martyn Green (The Iceman Cometh), Sharon Farrell (It’s Alive), Ruth White (Midnight Cowboy), Philip Bosco (The Savages), Ralph Waite (TV’s The Waltons), Meg Myles (The Edge of Night), William Roerick (The Wasp Woman), Dana Elcar (TV’s MacGyver), Dolph Sweet (TV’s Gimme a Break!), Lincoln Kilpatrick (The Omega Man) and famed New York radio announcer Marty Glickman. There are also uncredited appearances by Ali MacGraw (Love Story), Richard Castellano (The Godfather), Conrad Bain (TV’s Diff’rent Strokes), Marianne McAndrew (Hello, Dolly!), Doris Roberts (TV’s Everybody Loves Raymond) and John P. Ryan (It Lives Again). The film also contains a terrific musical score by composer Kenyon Hopkins (The Hustler).

A Lovely Way to Die has been released on a Region 1 Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. The transfer looks fantastic and the movie is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Special features include the original U.S. theatrical trailer, the international theatrical trailer, a very informative audio commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell as well as trailers for Lonely Are the Brave; The Secret War of Harry Frigg and The Night of the Following Day.

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By Darren Allison

Austrian label Cineploit celebrate their 10th anniversary year with the release of two new albums - whilst expanding their ever-swelling catalogue of titles. It’s always pleasurable to hear their latest work, so often produced in the style of exploitive, retro euro scores of the 1970s and 80s.

As Cineploit explains, “Morlock's 'The Outcasts' (Cine 25), is a sophomore album of cosmic explorations by synthesist and drummer Andrew Prestidge (Zoltan, Warning, The Osiris Club). It’s a deceptively accessible fusion of post-punk, electro-pop, Moog drones and Italian prog soundtracks. Blending melody and experimentation into a shifting patchwork of retro-futuristic splendour, these seemingly contradictory elements battle it out in a dream landscape of the ancient and the alien.”

The influences on the record are vast and varied. As a long-time fan of electronic music, Andrew Prestidge’s compositions can invoke anyone from Tubeway Army to The BBC Radiophonic Workshop or perhaps John Carpenter to more abrasive acts such as Killing Joke, The Chameleons or Cardiacs. And there are even shades of Queen’s Flash Gordon echoing from within this latest work.

In contrast to Morlock’s 2019 debut release, 'Ancient Paths', rhythm and riffs are brought to the fore throughout the course of these seven epic tunes. In cinematic terms, it’s more like experiencing a widescreen version of the band and a more collaborative production. The recording took place in London's celebrated Holy Mountain studios in the spring of 2021. The final mixes were done in Switzerland by Misha Hering (Memnon SA), who also co-writes and adds synthesisers to a number of tracks. The production veers between the pastoral and the urban, from the roots of the Earth to the measureless depths of outer space, all of which amounts to a highly enjoyable and hypnotic trip!

As usual, Cineploit offer a nice range of formats including a 180g marbled coloured Vinyl and CD Set (250), a 180g Black Vinyl and CD Set (150) and finally a CD only in mini Gatefold Sleeve (400).

After the ‘Kosmonauter’ (Cine 24) album, a trippy journey which explored distant galaxies, Pan/Scan this time penetrates deep into the inner realms of the human mind with their latest work , ‘A Far Distant Corner of Nothing Special’ (Cine 26). While the musical style serves as a continuation of the previous album, here the listener is lulled into a compellingly hypnotic sound-environment. The record tells the story of secret telekinetic experiments for the purpose of creating a new form of "power", conducted in dark laboratories deep under the surface of the earth. A human mind, captured within a state of permanent tension and relaxation, finally unleashes its full potential, bringing not only the desired success of the experiments but also the opening of a gate to a new world. But what awaits us all on the other side?

A wide range of formats include a 180g marbled coloured Vinyl and CD Set (250), a 180g Black Vinyl and CD Set (150) and again, a CD only in mini gatefold sleeve (400).

Both of the CDs offer excellent audio quality and are released on 15th July 2022.

All titles are available from Cineploit’s website http://www.cineploit.com/

(Darren Allison is the Soundtracks Editor for Cinema Retro.)

“A TRIUMPH OF BRUTALITY”

By Raymond Benson

I once lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the 1980s. Occasionally, I would spot Jake LaMotta in the neighborhood. The former boxer must have lived nearby or had reason to visit sometimes. One day as I was walking along 1st or 2nd Avenue, I spotted LaMotta coming toward me. As he passed me, I quietly (but loud enough for him to hear) spoke in that whispery kind of voice that imitated a “crowd noise.” I said, “Jaaaaake LaMoooooottaaaa!” in the style of a boxing announcer. LaMotta turned to me with a frown. At first I thought he was going to punch me or something. But then he grinned, clasped his hands together in a self-clasping handshake that is a gesture of triumph and victory, and waved them over his head. It was a special moment.

That gesture of triumph from LaMotta is indicative of the man’s redemption he received from the biopic about his life that was released in 1980. Raging Bull, brilliantly directed by Martin Scorsese and superbly acted by Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Cathy Moriarty, is indeed a feat of greatness. LaMotta (played by De Niro), who was a middle-weight champion boxer active professionally between 1941 and 1954, is depicted as a troubled soul who cannot control his anger—his rage—and this is the character trait that propels him through boxing matches. Unfortunately, his rage also propels him through his relationships with his wife, Vickie (Moriarty), and brother Joey (Pesci). The film must have brought some closure to the real Jake LaMotta, who experienced a newfound fame and celebrity after his post-boxing years of ups and downs.

Much has been made by film critics and fans alike about the Academy Awards for 1980—that Raging Bull deserved the Best Picture award over what won (Ordinary People). I recently wrote at length about the latter film in a Cinema Retro review of a new Blu-ray release. In it I defended People’s win, so I won’t go into it again here. That said, Raging Bull is a magnificent piece of film craftsmanship. The double-punch team of Scorsese and De Niro, along with the two-punch partnership of Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, all combine to exhibit one of the most dynamic showcases of bravura filmmaking.

Robert De Niro delivers the performance of his career, and there was no question that he deserved the Oscar for Best Actor that year—everyone else could have just stayed home. The actor’s commitment to the role is seen by De Niro famously gaining over fifty pounds—and then losing it—to play the older LaMotta. At the time, this was unheard of for an actor. Joe Pesci also made a name for himself in the picture, as he was virtually unknown to the general public prior to Bull. The same is true for Cathy Moriarty, who was only seventeen when she was cast.

Raging Bull is arguably Scorsese’s most accomplished film in terms of mastery of the craft, although there are other titles that I personally enjoy more. And this is perhaps key to why Raging Bull is problematic to anyone who isn’t a film connoisseur. The movie is about brutality. It features a rather unlikable violent person who is abusive to everyone around him. The movie is nonstop in its assault on an audience, such that at the end we feel as if we’ve just spent a few rounds in the ring with the character ourselves. There is no question that it’s an absolute masterpiece of cinema and should be admired as such… but it’s not a pleasant picture to watch. Therein lies the rub. Of course, art isn’t always safe.

The Criterion Collection presents a gorgeous new 4K digital master approved by Scorsese, in two versions—a 4K UHD disk and Blu-ray. The 4K UHD package comes with the second Blu-ray disk, but the Blu-ray alone can also be purchased separately. Both feature 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks. The UHD disk is the film by itself presented in HDR. The Blu-ray disk contains the film and all the supplements. The movie comes with three previously-released audio commentaries: a) One with Scorsese and Schoonmaker; b) one with DP Michael Chapman, producer Irwin Winkler, casting director Cis Corman, music consultant Robbie Robertson, and others; c) and one with LaMotta and screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader.

The supplements are terrific, especially the new video essays by film critics Geoffrey O’Brien and Sheila O’Malley that examine both the film and the actors. Previously released features include a four-part making-of documentary; three short programs highlighting Scorsese and De Niro’s collaborations; TV interviews with LaMotta, Moriarty, and Vickie LaMotta; and a piece with former boxers reminiscing about LaMotta. The booklet contains essays by poet Robin Robertson and film critic Glenn Kenny.

Raging Bull has been issued on Blu-ray more than once, but the Criterion Collection’s presentation is the Cadillac of them all. It is indeed worth the upgrade. For fans of Scorsese, De Niro, and cinema that delivers a K.O.

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Paramount has released a 20-movie DVD collection dedicated to the films of Jerry Lewis. Titles include the Martin and Lewis classics and many of Jerry's solo films. Best of all, the set is packed with hours of  bonus materials, including commentary tracks with Lewis on some of the key titles. Here is the official description:

"20 hilarious Jerry Lewis classics for the first time ever in one DVD collection, including The Nutty Professor, Cinderella, The Bellboy, Scared Stiff, The Disorderly Orderly, The Family Jewels, Artists and Models, The Ladies Man, Sailor Beware, Pardners, The Errand Boy, The Patsy, Living it Up, The Stooge, The Caddy, The Delicate Delinquent, You're Never Too Young, Hollywood or Bust, Jumping Jacks, and That's My Boy.

• · The largest collection of Jerry Lewis films ever assembled by Paramount.

• · Contains hours of assorted special features on select titles, including deleted scenes, trailers, and commentary tracks."

It's enough to make you shout "LADDDYYY!"

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“JULIE, IN SEARCH OF HERSELF”

By Raymond Benson

Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, a film from Norway, was nominated for the Best International Feature at the 2022 Oscar ceremony. It also received an Original Screenplay nomination. It lost the International Feature award to Japan’s Drive My Car, and the Screenplay award to Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast.

For this reviewer’s money, Worst Person deserved the Oscar over the (albeit excellent) Drive My Car. It’s such an original, lively take on the concept of “romantic comedy” (with shades of darkness) that it was a joy to view.

Worst Person is the third in director Trier’s so-called “Oslo Trilogy,” which includes Reprise (2006) and Oslo, August 31st (2011). All three films were written by Trier and Eskil Vogt. Filmed in and around Oslo during the pandemic, the picture is a marvelous depiction of how the quality of a production was maintained during Covid-19, and a behind-the-scenes supplement included on the disk emphasizes this achievement.

Julie (Renate Reinsve) is a 29-year-old single woman who at first thinks she wants to be in medical school, but she changes her mind and veers toward psychology. But then she takes a left turn and pursues photography. It soon becomes clear, even after Julie turns 30, that she isn’t sure what she wants in life. She dabbles in writing, works in a bookstore, and becomes involved with a handful of men. Two of these romantic relationship are central to her world—the first, to underground comics writer/artist Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), and then to coffee shop baristo Eivind (Herbert Nordrum). Aksel is a bit older and is keen on solid commitment and having a family—something to which Julie is adamantly opposed. Eivind, who is more her age, is in tune with her free spirit ways. Julie’s parents are divorced, and she gets along well with her mother (who obviously has concerns about Julie’s lack of direction in her life), but not so well with her father (who has remarried a younger woman with a daughter). By the end of the tale, Julie finally settles on what appears to be a path that hopefully will make her happy—but of course this is ambiguous, like life itself.

Renate Reinsve is absolutely radiant in the role of Julie, and she lights up the screen in every shot. She is totally believable as a character that is so deeply nuanced and real that we feel as if we know her. The two leading men are also excellent, especially Anders Danielsen Lie, who must undergo a physical change in the flow of the story.

Trier’s direction is superb. He manages a tightrope act of comedy and drama that recalls some of the best of Woody Allen, Eric Rohmer, and Francois Truffaut, but there are also hints of old Hollywood screwball comedy in the mix. And then there is the influence of intimate Scandinavian angst, as in Ingmar Bergman. The celebrated dream/fantasy sequence, in which Julie “stops time” one morning, runs across town to meet her new lover, spends an entire twenty-four hours with him, and then returns to the flat is simply exhilarating. Extras on the streets of Oslo are “frozen” in movement, along with cars and bicycles, and the only animated humans in the scenes are Julie and Eivind. Shooting the sequence proved to be a challenge because of Covid, as illustrated in the previously-mentioned supplement. The filmmakers had to halt production and resume it during a completely different season of the year.

The Criterion Collection’s new Blu-ray is a 2K digital master with a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio. Kasper Tuxen’s gorgeous cinematography is showcased in this exceptional presentation. Supplements include a nearly hour-long “making of” documentary containing interviews with Trier, Vogt, Reinsve, Lie, Nordrum, Tuxen, and sound designer Gisle Tveito. The supplement about the pandemic difficulties and time-freezing sequence is fascinating and is a canny lesson for budding filmmakers. Finally, there are some deleted scenes that are also worthwhile. One involves Julie and Aksel texting each other after their breakup; the time lapse photography is very effective and would have been a nice addition to the final cut.

The Worst Person in the World is funny, sad, and provocative. It is a celebration of what it means to be a Millennial, albeit a European one, in today’s mixed messages society. For fans of romantic comedies with bite, international sensibilities in film, and solid storytelling and acting.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Kino Lorber has released the 1975 Charles Bronson crime thriller "Breakout" as a Blu-ray special edition. Bronson was riding high at the time, coming off the sensational success of "Death Wish". The film was originally supposed to star Kris Kristofferson under the direction of Michael Ritchie but those plans soon fell apart. Bronson took over the lead role with veteran director Tom Gries at the helm. The film finds Bronson well-cast as Nick Colton, a shady businessman/con man/grifter who operates a variety of small time business ventures on the Mexican border with his partner Hawk Hawkins (pre-kooky Randy Quaid.) Nick is living hand-to-mouth when he is approached by Ann Wagner (Jill Ireland) with a proposition to help her husband, equally shady rich guy Jay (Robert Duvall), escape from a Mexican prison where he has been sentenced after being framed for a murder. Time is of the essence because Jay is in declining health and may well be too weak to help effect his own escape. Colton and Hawk's first attempt to spring him ends disastrously and they barely escape back to America. Colton concocts an audacious plan for a second escape attempt that involves split-second timing. He will arrange for a helicopter to land in the courtyard of the prison and in the inevitable confusion, Jay is to make his way on board and presumably fly away to freedom. In order to pull off the caper, Nick enlists the help of a professional helicopter pilot as well as Myrna (Sheree North), a married ex-call girl who will be used to distract some of the guards when the copter lands inside the prison. When the pilot gets cold feet, Nick is forced to fly the chopper himself despite the fact that he only has minimum experience doing so. Another complication ensues when Jay is confined to the prison hospital and doubts he will be able to be in the courtyard at the precise moment Colton lands. 

"Breakout" was inspired by an incredible 1971 real life escape in which an American was indeed rescued by helicopter from a Mexican prison.  The screenplay has some other sub-plots that are poorly developed and quite confusing, but some of which are obviously related to the actual escape including some rumored involvement by the CIA. In the film, Jay Wagner's frame-up takes place at the behest of his evil tycoon grandfather, Harris Wagner (John Huston) for reasons that never become clear. Apparently, Harris is concerned that Jay may inherit some control over the company Harris runs with an iron fist, though these plot points remain murky as does the involvement of some CIA characters.  Another potential plot device, which finds Nick and Ann obviously attracted to each other, also goes nowhere. The film has a rushed look to it and there are some unsatisfying aspects caused by the movie's rather abrupt ending. The movie studio, Columbia, apparently felt the film was a rather weak production and thus gambled on a massive ad campaign that probably cost more than the film's modest budget. Ads for "Breakout" were everywhere: in newspapers, on TV and on radio. Additionally, the film opened wide in 1,000 American theaters, which was a big number in 1975. The movie was dismissed by critics with Variety calling it a "cheap exploitation pic", and indeed the main poster artwork (different from the Blu-ray sleeve artwork) and graphics looked surprisingly amateurish considering this was a golden age for film poster designs. Nevertheless, Bronson's appeal seemed to override these negative factors. "Breakout" proved to be a major hit and helped cement his status as a top boxoffice attraction , though his clout would gradually diminish henceforth. 

Scene stealer: Sheree North in posed cheesecake publicity photo for the film.

Like a lot of older movies, "Breakout" probably plays better today than it did at the time of its initial release. Bronson is in top form and gives an unusually energetic performance that allows him to stress his rarely-used talent for light comedy. The only other standout member of the cast is Sheree North, as the epitome of the sexy cougar. She's a fast-talking, tough cookie who parades about in sexy lingerie in an attempt to seduce Bronson. (Surprisingly, Bronson's character does not engage in any sexual action throughout the movie.) Robert Duvall is largely underutilized in a low-key role and performance that could have been credibly played by almost any other competent actor.  Huston's presence in the movie is disappointing, also. His role is confined to a few scattered cameo appearances that probably don't last more than two minutes. Some other familiar faces include Paul Mantee, Alejandro Rey, Roy Jenson and the Mexican cinema's favorite bad guy, Emilio Fernandez. As for Bronson teaming for the umpteenth time with real life wife Jill Ireland, the gimmick was wearing thin. Some screen couples could team without wearing out their welcome. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton made many films together but they were always playing entirely different characters in entirely different scenarios. Bronson and Ireland, despite being competent actors, were no Liz and Dick. It became clear that their films together were largely made possible by Bronson's clout with the studios. Although Ireland always gave credible performances, she never lit up the screen. After a while the sheer predictability of their on-screen teamings probably undermined Bronson's popularity because it constrained him from interacting with other actresses. It was a trap Clint Eastwood also fell into for a period of time when he cast Sondra Locke in the female lead in six of his movies over a period of only seven years. Despite these gripes, it must be said that director Tom Gries keeps the pace moving briskly and there isn't a dull moment. He also knows how to milk some genuine suspense out of the helicopter escape scene, which is exceptionally well photographed by the great cinematographer Lucien Ballard. Jerry Goldsmith also contributes a typically fine score. The movie was shot in a wide number of locations including California, Mexico, Spain and France, where the impressive edifice that serves as the prison is located.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray looks great and features a very informative commentary track by Paul Talbot, author of the excellent "Bronson's Loose" books, which analyze his action movies. There is also a trailer, TV spot and radio spot. In all, an impressive package for a fun '70s adventure flick. Recommended.

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Tony Danza, Tom Wopat, Anais Reno,

Douglas Ladnier, and Danny Gardner

join

BROADWAY BY THE YEAR

FROM THE ZIEGFELD FOLLIES TO MOULIN ROUGE

A One-Night-Only History of Jukebox Musicals and Musical Revues

Celebrating Songs From:

The Ziegfeld Follies, George White’s Scandals, The Jersey Boys, Beautiful, All Shook Up, Kismet, After Midnight, Ring of Fire, and more!

CREATED, WRITTEN, DIRECTED, and HOSTED BY

SCOTT SIEGEL

MONDAY, May 23, 2022 at 8PM

THE TOWN HALL

(123 W. 43rd Street)

www.TheTownHall.org

In this second concert of the Broadway by the Year season, audience members will get a one-night-only history of jukebox musicals and musical revues. And the truth is, an extraordinary number of hit Broadway shows fit the description of these two kinds of shows. These oftentimes maligned genres have played an important role in the resurrection of songs, and styles from rock ’n’ roll (Jersey Boys, Beautiful, All Shook Up) to classical music (Kismet), and from country (Ring of Fire) to Rhythm & Blues (Black & Blue, After Midnight). And they have highlighted oftentimes forgotten composers, bringing their names back into the limelight, such as Eubie Blake with Eubie! and Fats Waller with Ain’t Misbehavin’.

The cast of Broadway By The Year: From The Ziegfeld Follies To Moulin Rouge includes: Tony Danza (Honeymoon In Vegas; TV’s Who’s The Boss); Tom Wopat (Annie Get Your Gun; Chicago), Anais Reno (Carnegie Hall, and concerts at Birdland), Douglas Ladnier (Jekyll and Hyde; Sweeney Todd), and Danny Gardner (Flying Over Sunset; Dames At Sea). More performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Broadway By The Year Dance Troupe, choreographed by Danny Gardner, will also be performing.

“Jukebox musicals are a fun and unique way to reimagine songs that we love by giving them a new context or a new storyline,” said Scott Siegel. “This concert will highlight the history of these shows and give audience members the chart-topping songs that we all love.”

We are excited for the second installment of this year’s Broadway By The Year concerts,” said The Town Hall’s Artistic Director Melay Araya. “The Town Hall has always been at the forefront of music and discovery, and we know that this concert will excite and entertain.”

Tickets for Broadway By The Year are $57-$67. For tickets and information, please visit www.thetownhall.org or call 800-982-2787. The Broadway By The Year concert series is part of The Town Hall’s presenting season.

Among the many other stars who may be performing in Broadway By The Year this season include: Marc Kudisch (The Girl From the North Country), Bill Irwin (Tony® Award Winner, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), Emily Skinner (Side Show), Stephanie J. Block (Tony® Award Winner, The Cher Show), Sebastian Arcelus (House of Cards), Lesli Margherita (Matilda), Kerry O'Malley (Into The Woods), Carolee Carmello (Mamma Mia!), Beth Malone (Fun Home), Tonya Pinkins (Caroline Or Change), Christiane Noll (Dear Evan Hansen), Julia Murney (Wicked), Brad Oscar (Something Rotten!), Lilli Cooper (Tootsie), Jarrod Spector (The Cher Show), Patti Murin (Frozen), Karen Ziemba (Chicago), Ethan Slater (Sponge Bob Squarepants The Musical), Bryan Batt (Mad Men), and Noah Racey (Curtains).

Kevin Costner, Sean Connery and Robert De Niro Star in the Must-See Crime-Drama,
Debuting on 4K Ultra HD May 31, 2022

Directed by Brian De Palma and nominated^* for four Academy Awards®, the acclaimed drama THE UNTOUCHABLES makes its 4K Ultra HD debut on May 31, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Originally released on June 3, 1987, THE UNTOUCHABLES celebrates its 35^th anniversary this year and remains a must-see masterpiece featuring visionary filmmaking and exceptional performances from an outstanding cast.  Robert De Niro as mob warlord Al Capone and Kevin Costner as law enforcer Eliot Ness are unforgettable in a glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of good versus evil on the streets of Prohibition-era Chicago. 

Sean Connery won his only Oscar® for his portrayal of veteran officer Jimmy Malone in the blockbuster hit that was the fourth highest grossing film of 1987.  Written by David Mamet, THE UNTOUCHABLES also boasts a Grammy Award-winning score by the legendary Ennio Morricone and an excellent supporting cast including Patricia Clarkson, Andy Garcia, and Charles Martin Smith.

THE UNTOUCHABLES will be available on 4K Ultra HD and in a 4K Ultra HD 35^th Anniversary SteelBook® with a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack^** and access to a Digital copy of the film.  The discs also include over an hour of legacy bonus content in high definition as detailed below:

• The Script, The Cast
• Production Stories
• Re-Inventing the Genre
• The Classic
• Original Featurette: “The Men”
• Theatrical Trailer

By Hank Reineke

I confess to having difficulty understanding Corinth’s curious repackaging of three monochrome 1950’s science-fiction films. Pulling together this triad of films – all previously issued as single disc releases from the label’s Wade Williams Collection - seems to make sense on one level. We’ll discuss later on. But for the record this DVD of Drive-In Retro Classics: Science Fiction Triple Feature brings together such disparate Silver Age favorites as Kurt Neumann’s Rocketship X-M (1950), Nathan H. Juran’s The Brain from Planet Arous (1958) and Robert Clarke’s The Hideous Sun Demon (1959).

Though he didn’t have anything to do with the production of any of the films listed above, Wade Williams has served as curator of the analog and digital legacy of many ‘50s sci-fi and horror titles. Though Williams would aspire as a filmmaker himself, the titles appearing in the “Wade Williams Collection” are exactly that – films in his collection. Williams had prudently purchased the rights to a mostly moribund package of ‘50s sci-fi movie and TV shows from estates, from studios, or from producers/others holding ownership. The latter category would include films produced by such names as George Pal, Jack Broder, Harry M. Popkin and Richard Rosenfeld.

This decision to sell off their interests was an understandable (but ultimately bad) business decision on the part of the original rights holders. But it was the early 1970s and television stations – now the only outlet still providing a trickle of revenue for these old films – were abandoning their creaky old black-and-white libraries for color-TV programs. Few in Hollywood could have anticipated the stream of monies to be afforded by the home-video revolution only a few short years down the line.

To be fair, Williams was an enthusiast of these old sci-fi films, not simply a speculator who got lucky. Burgeoning consumer interest in home video product allowed opportunity for Williams to capitalize on his prudent purchases. The first of the “Wade Williams Collection” VHS videocassettes were issued as early as the late 1970s, mostly through such companies as Nostalgia Merchant and Starlog Video. In the 1999 Williams partnered with Image Entertainment, the latter dressing the new DVDs in bright-color slipcovers. These sleeves partly disguised the fact the movies contained within were black-and-white oldies. Sci-fi newbies unfamiliar with the histories of atomic age sci-fi films might have felt shortchanged by this creative - if somewhat duplicitous – bit of marketing.

But for those of us in the know, the Williams releases were a Godsend. We were the aficionados of old-school sci-fi, semi-aging folks who first caught the films during theatrical matinees in the 50’s or through fuzzy late-night TV broadcasts in the ‘60s. We no longer had to order wonky prints sourced from aged television screenings peddled by bootleg vendors advertising in the back pages of cult film magazines. When Laserdisc and DVD releases would supersede VHS cassettes in quality of presentation, Williams’ catalog was similarly trotted out in new formats.

It must be noted that Williams has also been, somewhat ungraciously, a target of criticism – often painted as a proverbial villain - over the last two decades by some collectors. As the rights holder to so many treasured classic – and not so classic – vintage sci-fi films, the just shy of eighty Williams has been reluctant in recent years to issue the films on Blu-ray. His reasoning for not doing, while disappointing, is sound. Answering critics of the handling of his catalog, Williams offered to contributors on the on-line Home Theater Forum while physical media sales remained important, “streaming, downloading, Amazon Prime, Netflix and TCM are the remaining outlets from classic films.”

He would also note that restorations were expensive undertakings. Factoring in public domain issues, the problem of outright bootlegging and copy-and-paste YouTube piracy, there was no longer any chance to break-even - much less garner a profit - from such an enterprise. It was a practical and understandable real-world estimate – but a response disappointing for those who preferred to stock their home video libraries with physical media.

Which brings us back, in a roundabout manner, to Drive-In Retro Classics: Science Fiction Triple Feature. Taking the series’ format history into account, the natural progression would have been to see these films released on Blu ray; to revisit them in spruced-up remasters with a dollop of bonus special materials tagged on. But, alas, this isn’t the case. Instead Drive-In Retro Classics: Science Fiction Triple Feature offers up a total of three films, running 222 minutes collectively, all crushed on a single disc. There are no special features, no new scans from better elements, no new bells or whistles of any sort. So buyer beware.

OK, with all this history out of the way I offer, for the uninitiated at least, a brief overview of the films in the Corinth set:

In The Brain from Planet Arous, Steve Marsh (John Agar), a technician of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, becomes the unwilling host of alien being named Gor. Gor is an evil levitating cerebellum with half-moon eyes who desires rule as “Master of the Universe.” He aspires to make all the people of the earth his slaves. The alternative is “death by intense radiation.” The earth is merely one stop on this quest… and he makes the most of the visit. Through his manipulation of his hypnotized subjugate Marsh, Gor unleashes a rash of attacks on military-bases and martial aircrafts.

Gor convinces the cowered American Generals to convene a summit with the earth’s six other nuclear powers, demanding all nations submit to his terms… or else. All seems lost until Vol, a second and far friendlier levitating brain from Arous, arrives at Indian Springs to offer advice. Vol explains the only way to stop the renegade Gor is by attacking the creature’s one weak spot, striking at the brain’s fissure of Rolando. But can Marsh’s girlfriend Sally (Joyce Randolph) and George the dog get this important info to Marsh in time?

The Hideous Sun Demon is the tour de force brainchild of actor/writer/producer Robert Clarke. Clarke plays Dr. Gilbert McKenna, an “obscure scientist” exposed to a type of radiation “far more dangerous than cosmic rays.” This turns out to be an unwelcome turn of events as such exposure has triggered a reverse evolution of his DNA, turning him into the Hideous Sun Demon, a half-human half-reptile biped. The movie is sort of a reversal of werewolfism. Clarke’s transformation is not triggered by the rising of the full moon but by exposure to the sun’s rays. When not lurching about Los Angeles and Santa Monica at night, McKenna sulks, drinks a lot of whiskey and hangs out a dingy nightclub where he listens to a buxom blond tickle the ivories and sing such moody jazz numbers as “Strange Desire.” Perhaps Little Orphan Annie desires for the sun to come out tomorrow, but its bad news for McKenna.

In Rocketship X-M, America is readying a sleek spacecraft for blast-off. The rocket is to carry a team of scientists – including a thirty-year old Lloyd Bridges – on a mission to the moon. Unfortunately, a combination of bad scientific calculations and an untimely meteor shower forces the craft off course. The space travelers instead land on Mars where, to their surprise, discover the ruins of an ancient civilization. They are received unwelcomingly, made targets by a gaggle of rock throwing Martian Neanderthals. Though they quickly and wisely abandon the Red Planet for a trip back home, they encounter yet another problem. Is there enough fuel left in the craft’s supply tanks to get them home safely?

Of the three films in this set, only Rocketship X-M aspires to loftier visions and high production values. Theobold Holsopple’s production designs are imaginative and iconic. The special-effects work of Don Stewart, I.A. Block and Jack Rabin is of similar high-caliber, especially when considering the era in which the film was produced.

To wrap up: the best thing I can say about this new DVD release is that it brings these films back into print, making them more easily available to new consumers. No more scouring through second hand shops or paying fifty dollar “collector” prices for the now rare original single-disc DVDs released twenty-odd years ago. But when one learns the MSRP of the Corinth release is $29.95… well, that price seems a bit stiff. But I’m confident the MSRP will likely not be the actual asking price when the disc hits online outlets.

I’d be remiss without at least mentioning one title, The Brain from Planet Arous, is reportedly being readied for Blu-ray release by another home video company, one known for bring loving attention to neglected films. This prospective Blu issue, slated for release in summer of 2022, promises a new restoration, an audio commentary, a booklet, and a special-features documentary as bonuses. So some may choose a wait-and-see approach before gambling on Drive-in Retro Classics.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Kino Lorber has released the 1964 comedy "The Brass Bottle" on Blu-ray. The film appears to have been the inspiration for the hit TV series "I Dream of Jeannie" which starred Barbara Eden as the sultry title character. Some cinephiles argue that the film and TV series have nothing to do with one another, but it seems to me that if you make a movie with Barbara Eden and a genie from a brass bottle, than it's more than a coincidence that a TV series starring Eden featuring a genie and a brass bottle soon appears. It is true that Eden does appear as the female lead in the feature film, but in a very down-to-earth role as Sylvia, the fiancee of aspiring-but-unsuccessful architect Harold Ventimore (Tony Randall). Sorry, guys, no navel-gazing to be had here.The premise of the plot is as old as the pyramids: Harold comes into possession of a large, ancient urn through which he unwittingly frees an ancient genie named Fakrash (Burl Ives, who far less a feast for the eyes than Eden was in the TV series), who had been imprisoned in there for 3,000 years after offending a nobleman who had magical powers. Fakrash is so delighted to be free that he uses all his efforts to make improvements in Harold's life starting with magically persuading a top real estate developer to hire the unknown architect to design an entire suburban housing development. Harold is initially delighted but soon discovers that every time Fakrash makes an improvement to his life, there is a corresponding disaster to offset it. This extends to his love life, as well. In an attempt to win over Sylvia's grumpy parents who disapprove of him, Harold plans a dinner party at his house. Thanks to Fakrash, however, when the fuddy-duddy parents and Sylvia arrive, the place has been transformed into a bachelor pad, complete with dancing harem girls and a group of Arabic musicians. Also on hand is a "gift" from Fakrash, a sexually aggressive, beautiful slave girl named Tezra (Kamala Devri).  Appalled by the hedonistic atmosphere, Sylvia and her parents storm out. The remainder of the film involves Harold's desperate efforts to undo the "improvements" that Fakrash continues to enact on his behalf. Before long, Fakrash has turned his future father-in-law into a mule and also wreaked havoc on Harold's career. 

"The Brass Bottle", directed with workmanlike efficiency by Harry Keller, is a modestly-budgeted affair that was shot primarily on the Universal back lot. The few exterior sequences include some very obvious rear screen projection, thus giving the feature film the look of a standard sitcom from the era. The primary attribute of the production is the inspired cast. Tony Randall, who by this point in his career had carved a niche as one of Hollywood's leading supporting players, gets a rare opportunity to get first billing. Barbara Eden is largely relegated to window dressing as his long-suffering fiancee. The film clearly belongs to Burl Ives, who is genuinely amusing as the genie who tries to accustom himself to life in the 20th century. He begins the film wearing traditional ancient garb and ends clad in designer suits. Ives dominates every scene he is in as this marvelous character. The film also features two of the 1960's most popular on-screen grouches, the great Edward Andrews as Harold's would-be father-in-law and Parley Baer as Harold's prospective employer. Another reliable "grouch", Philip Ober appears as Harold's ill-tempered boss.  (Harold has nothing but ill-tempered people surrounding him.)  

The movie affords some mildly amusing moments and the "risque" elements are downright quaint by today's standards. When presented with a live-in, gorgeous mistress who will do anything he commands, Harold can only think of how to get rid of her- a premise that is slightly less believable than that of a genie appearing from a brass bottle. Then again, even as a pre-teen in the 1960s, I couldn't buy the notion that a beautiful female genie could live with a handsome, single man who she calls "Master" without any sexual scenarios arising.  Randall is always a delight and this rare showcase for him as a leading man, along with Ives' delightful performance, are the primary reason to watch this otherwise pleasant but undistinguished comedy.  

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray is a considerable upgrade from the previous release, a bare-bones DVD from Universal. The Blu-ray features a very good commentary track by Australian film historian Lee Gambin, who manages to have Barbara Eden join him via phone. She's a delight to listen to and has nothing but good things to say about working with Randall and Ives. Gambin also wisely has her recall her experiences filming "The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao" and "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm". As a sign of the times, it's the first commentary track I've heard in which Covid factors into the conversation. The release includes the original trailer and a gallery of other comedy trailers for films available from KL.

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BY FRED BLOSSER

Although released in February 1942, Warner Brothers’ wartime drama “Captains of the Clouds” was filmed several months earlier, when America’s official stance toward the crisis in Europe, prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, remained one of isolationism. As the thinking went, the United States was better off conserving its own human and industrial resources as it continued to stagger back from the Great Depression. Let the combatants overseas fight it out between themselves.

Aware of the movies’ enormous power to sway public opinion, watchdogs in Congress — and in the industry itself — threatened severe action should any studio question the prevailing wisdom. Of a different mind and appalled by Nazi fascism, Harry and Jack Warner produced several movies that shrewdly challenged the restrictions by circumventing them. Thus the villains in Warners’ “Confessions of a Nazi Spy” (1939) were Nazi agents subverting freedom not in faraway Europe, but right here on American soil, where they could be exposed and thwarted by a vigilant FBI. “The Fighting 69th” (1940) and “Sergeant York” (1941) reminded audiences that America had crushed Germany’s war machine in World War I. Not only could we do so again, we should do so again as a spiritual and moral duty, they implied. In “Captains of the Clouds,” directed by Michael Curtiz, the surrogates for American intercession are five veteran Canadian bush pilots who join the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 to defend England against the Luftwaffe.

The first part of the picture establishes one of the aviators, Brian MacLean, as a cocky, unscrupulous loner who consistently undercuts his rivals Jimmy (Dennis Morgan), Tiny (Alan Hale), Blimp (George Tobias), and Scrounger (Reginald Gardiner) in their business of flying passengers and cargo from one remote outpost to another in the Ontario back country. James Cagney portrays Brian in fine Cagney style. Nominally, MacLean is the protagonist of the story, but he’s only marginally more sympathetic than Cagney’s ruthless gangsters in “The Public Enemy” and “White Heat.” I suspect that many moviegoers who had barely survived the worst of the Depression secretly envied Cagney’s characters in their determination to stay one jump ahead of everybody else, whatever it took. MacLean gives Dennis Morgan’s earnest Jimmy one more reason to resent him when he puts the moves on Jimmy’s restless sweetheart Emily (Brenda Marshall), and she throws the good boy aside for the bad boy.

Then the war comes into play when the pilots hear Churchill’s inspirational “we shall fight them on the beaches” speech on the radio after the evacuation at Dunkirk. “Now there’s a man who knows how to word an invitation,” Brian marvels. The fliers join up to see active service overseas, not knowing they’re all above the ceiling age of 26 for combat pilots. Instead, disappointed but game, they’re commissioned as flight instructors at Canada’s training bases. Fans of WWII aviation movies may be equally disappointed since the development severely limits the opportunity for dogfights. The picture’s aerial combat is confined to a tense sequence in the final ten minutes, as the pilots become sitting ducks for a Messerschmitt’s machine guns while on emergency assignment to transport Lockheed bombers from Canada to England.

On the other hand, aside from the occasional use of models and back projection, the flight scenes in Canada are the real deal in vivid Technicolor. And thanks to the cooperation of the RCAF, the episodes at Canada’s real-life training fields have a convincing documentarian feel, including an appearance by Air Marshal Billy Bishop, still revered in 1942 for his exploits as a flying ace in World War I. Bishop plays himself in a low-key but ingratiating way as he awards wings to the cadets at their graduation ceremony. Fans may also be comforted that the latter half of the film satisfies the formula they’ve come to expect from a hundred war movies up to and beyond “Top Gun,” dogfights or no. The self-centered hero butts heads with military discipline, suffers a fall from grace with tragic consequences due to his impulsive nature, and then unexpectedly rallies with a final act of redemption.

A new Blu-ray edition of “Captains of the Clouds” from the Warner Archive Collection does full justice to the movie’s Technicolor palette, especially in several outdoor scenes in Canada’s spectacular North Bay wilderness. To simulate a night out at the movies in 1942, special features include a newsreel, a short, two cartoons, and the theatrical trailer. SDH captions are provided for those of us not old enough to remember World War II but well-served by subtitles anyway. Coincidentally, the Blu-ray was released as leaders from the U.S. and its NATO partners continued to debate and tune their response to Putin’s ongoing attack on Ukraine. The parallels with 1942 aren’t exact — for one thing, Hitler didn’t have a nuclear option in his back pocket — but it’s a reminder anyway that the worst facets of history have an unfortunate tendency to repeat themselves.

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Fred Blosser is the author of "Sons of Ringo: The Great Spaghetti Western Heroes". Click here to order from Amazon)

CINEMA RETRO Issue #55 (2023)

• John Murphy provides this issue's "Film in Focus": a 10-page article on Charlton Heston as The Omega Man.
• Ian Brown provides an extensive tribute to the classic Hammer horror films of director Terence Fisher.
• Brian Davidson interviews actress Susan Penhaligon, known as "The British Bardot".
• Roland Schaefli revisits the French actual locations of the D-Day epic The Longest Day
• Tim Greaves shamelessly celebrates his "guilty pleasure" of this issue, Orgy of the Dead.
• Lee Pfeiffer looks back at the MGM crime thriller Signpost to Murder starring Joanne Woodward and Stuart Whitman.
• Gareth Owen takes you inside the Bondstars.com 007 convention at Pinewood Studios
  
• Mark Mawston concludes his 3-part interview with actor and pop singer John Leyton.
• Plus regular columns by Raymond Benson, Darren Allison and Brian Hannan plus a French cinema column by Julien Comelli

THIS ISSUE HAS NOW SOLD OUT. SORRY!

• Mike Siegel provides the inside story on the decades-long quest to restore Sam Peckinpah's Convoy and The Osterman Weekend.
  
• Simon Lewis celebrates the 1970 Pearl Harbor epic Tora! Tora! Tora!.
• Nicholas Anez  pays tribute to the ill-fated Robin and Marian starring Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn and Robert Shaw.
  
• Gareth Owen is in Double-0 Heaven celebrating 60 years of James Bond at Pinewood Studios with many rare photos.
• Hank Reineke looks back at Vincent Price as The Last Man on Earth. 
• Brian Hannan looks at boxoffice performance of retro film releases.
• Darren Allison reviews the latest soundtrack releases.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

In the 1970s and 1980s  director  Brian De Palma had some high profile hits with Hitchcockian thrillers such as "Sisters", "Obsession", "Dressed to Kill", "Blow Out" and "Body Double". De Palma's defenders extolled the virtues of these films as clever homages to Hitchcock while detractors accused De Palma of using The Master's formulas to make a fast buck. In 1982 director Robert Benton jumped on the same bandwagon with his own Hitchcockian  project, "Still of the Night", which was shot under the title "Stab" before the marketing campaign had been re-evaluated. A few years earlier Benton had triumphed at the Oscars with "Kramer vs. Kramer", taking home the Best Director Oscar. That film also provided an important career boost for Meryl Streep, who also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. The two were reunited for this project which stands out on both of their credentials as an odd choice. Chances are that when you think of Streep's exalted status in the film community today, the thriller genre is unlikely to come to mind. (Though she did also appear in "The River Wild" and the remake of "The Manchurian Candidate".) Benton, who had directed relatively few films to date, was more accustomed to the genre and perhaps his involvement with this flawed production can be explained by the fact that the basis for the story (which he collaborated on with David Newman) was a real life experience that found him obsessed with a woman who simultaneously excited and frightened him. Certainly it's a sold premise for a thriller and through much of the movie Benton provides a compelling scenario complimented by two excellent actors: Streep and Roy Scheider. The film falls apart in the final act when it begins to resemble less of a homage to Hitchcock than an homage to De Palma's homages to Hitchcock- with a dose of "Play Misty for Me" thrown in (i.e knife wielding killer attacks protagonist on a balcony that overlooks the churning sea.) It's not that "Still of the Night" is bad (though Streep has gone on record as saying it is), it's simply that it hardly seems like it would ever have been compelling enough to attract two recent Oscar winners. 

The film opens in the office of New York City psychiatrist Sam Rice (Scheider). Like most cinematic headshrinkers, he appears to need psychiatric care more than his patients do. He's going through the miseries of a divorce and seems bored and depressed. The only significant female relationship he has is with his mother (Jessica Tandy, who perhaps not coincidentally starred in Hitchcock's "The Birds".) Sam's mundane daily routine takes a dramatic turn when he discovers that a long-time patient, businessman George Bynum (Josef Sommer) has been found stabbed to death in his car on a Manhattan street. From this point some key elements of the story are told in flashback sequences.  Sam remembers Bynum as a sexual predator who had been having an affair with one of his staff workers. Then he meets Brooke Reynolds (Streep), a gorgeous thirty-something blonde who seems both alluring and vulnerable. Bynum confesses that he is obsessed with her and cut off his previous affair in order to engage in one with Brooke. Shortly after Bynum's death, Sam is shocked when Brooke appears at his office, nervous, unsettled and chain-smoking. (Yes, you could smoke in an office in those days.) In the awkward conversation that follows she says the purpose of her visit is to return a wristwatch that Bynum had accidentally left at her apartment. She doesn't want to return it herself for fear of alerting Bynum's widow about the affair he was having with her. From minute one Sam is smitten and intrigued by this quirky, jittery- and stunningly beautiful- young woman. He also realizes that her cover story about the watch is thin. She actually wanted to meet him. Shortly thereafter Sam is visited by Detective Joe Vitucci (Joe Grifasi, channeling every personality cliche you can think of when it comes to a New York  City cop). He asks Sam if he can shed any light on who might be Bynum's killer. Sam informs him that anything he had discussed with Bynum would be protected under doctor/client privilege...but he also finds himself unable to inform Vitucci about Bynum's affair with Brooke. He realizes he is now obsessed with her, just as Bynum was. He strongly suspects that Brooke is Bynum's murderer but can't get her out of his mind. Like Bynum, he's simultaneously sexually stimulated and terrified of her. Nevertheless, he begins finding excuses to see her and his presence seems to have a calming effect on Brooke. The friendship goes to another stage when she responds to his kiss but Sam is too lacking in self-confidence to actually seduce her. Meanwhile he begins to experience some eerie occurrences. He believes someone is stalking him in the basement of his apartment building. As he follows the mysterious Brooke on a nighttime walk through Central Park (a chilling scenario for anyone in those days), he finds himself alone and so unnerved that when a man jumps out of the shadows to mug him, he is actually relieved to have another human being on the scene. Director Benton knows that a sure-fire way to ratchet up suspense is to put the protagonist in a creepy dark house or in an equally unnerving location. However he goes to the well with this plot device a little too often. For a man who lives in the heart of Manhattan, Sam seems to wind up repeatedly in eerie, isolated places. However, some of the sequences are genuinely suspenseful as in the scene in which Sam is in the laundry room of his apartment building, deep in the bowels of the basement. No one is around. There is total isolation when suddenly the lights in an adjoining room inexplicably go out. You can share his sense of increasing panic as he knows  someone is stalking him...but who and why? Refrehingly, Scheider portrays Sam as an everyday guy, not a tough-as-nails hero. He's vulnerable both physically and emotionally throughout.

The film's primary asset is its two stars, both of whom give intense and very convincing performances. There are also the usual plot twists and red herrings one would expect to find in a movie of this genre and Benton for the most part manages to wring some genuine suspense out of it even when he resorts to old gimmicks that include a dream sequence in which Bynum is menaced by an eerie little girl (are there any other kinds of little girls in dream sequences?) It's straight out of "The Shining"  but then again just about everything in "Still of the Night" seems recycled, even though it manages to be engrossing right up until the climax when Benton the screenwriter resorts to every time-worn cliche imaginable: an old dark house, a sacrificial lamb character, a vulnerable hero, a knife-wielding maniac...you get the picture. About all that is missing is John Carradine as a mad scientist. The weak ending feels like it was tossed together at the last minute and doesn't retain the suspense or logic that Benton has managed to build heretofore. Nonetheless, "Still of the Night" is still worth a look if only for the performances and those few genuinely spooky sequences.

(The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime.)

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

The Sony Choice Collection has rescued another long forgotten TV movie from obscurity and released it as a burn-to-order title. "Kiss Me...Kill Me" is a crime thriller that was originally telecast in 1976. Compared to similar fare from that era, the film is fairly routine, though it might well be more appreciated today than it was at the time of its original airing. This is due to the fact that it boasts a strong cast of seasoned veteran actors- something that was relatively common in the 1970s, when the concept of TV movies became very popular. Most of these productions had star power and audiences enjoyed seeing some of their favorite movie stars on the small screen. "Kiss Me...Kill Me" stars Stella Stevens as Stella Stafford, an L.A-based investigator for the District Attorney's office. She is assigned to an especially disturbing murder case involving Maureen Coyle (Tisha Sterling), a respected young woman who teaches at a school for handicapped children. Maureen suffers from a disability herself: she has a leg disorder that causes her to walk with a limp. When she is discovered murdered in her apartment, the D.A.'s office is put under pressure to find the culprit behind the especially gruesome killing. Stella is assigned to work the case with veteran detective Harry Grant (Claude Akins). The two are old friends- and perhaps more. They interact with intimate familiarity and socialize at Stella's apartment. Harry's career has been in decline and views this case as a way of re-establishing his reputation. Before long, he has his first suspect: Edward Fuller (Robert Vaughn), an elitist owner of a major advertising agency who was seen lurking around Maureen's apartment building prior to the murder. Under questioning, he is less than co-operative and can't provide a logical reason for his being there in the dead of night. In looking into Maureen's personal life, a shocking secret emerges. Turns out she enjoyed kinky, rough sex and was known to frequent a seedy bar trolling for one night stands. Ultimately, Harry finds another suspect: a young black man named Hicks (Charles Weldon) who admits to having bedded Maureen. Harry's strong-armed tactics results in the down-and-out Hicks eventually confessing to the killing but Stella suspects he is not the real killer. This puts her at odds with Harry, who accuses her of sabotaging his case by continuing the investigation beyond Hicks, who she feels was coerced into confessing. Ultimately, the trail leads to Douglas Lane (Bruce Boxleitner), an arrogant young hunk who was using Fuller as a sugar daddy. Fuller is clearly infatuated with Lane and tries to buy his love and respect but all he gets is public humiliation. Stella becomes convinced that Lane is the real killer but trying to prove it could cost her her own life.

"Kiss Me...Kill Me" is rather provocative for a TV movie from this period, though overt discussion of S&M sex and gay relationships have to be hinted at rather than explicitly discussed. The film contains some rather routine chase scenes and action sequences but the script is more successful in regard to presenting some interesting characters and developing their relationships. The tensions between Stella and Harry boil over to the breaking point and there is good on-screen chemistry between Stella Stevens and Claude Akins, one of cinema's best "second bananas" who gets a rare leading man role here. It's also interesting to note that Stevens is the real star of this movie in an era when actresses were breaking the glass ceiling and emerging as popular action stars. (Think "Police Woman", "Wonder Woman" and "Charlie's Angels", all of which came about within a couple of years of each other.)  The best performance is by Robert Vaughn, who boldly discards his image at a suave ladies man to play a weak, vulnerable aging gay man. In one scene he is publicly humiliated by the bisexual object of his affection and instead of going Napoleon Solo on the guy, Vaughn's character meekly endures the shame. It's a cringe-inducing scene that makes you feel sympathy for a character who is not very sympathetic. The are some other veteran actors in the flick, which helps elevate its status. They include Michael Anderson Jr, Dabney Coleman, Steve Franken and even Pat O'Brien as an elderly, wise-cracking morgue worker. In all, a rather enjoyable visit back in time to the glorious era of '70s TV movies. Let's hope Sony keeps making these long-unseen productions available. 

The transfer is excellent but the release, unsurprisingly, has no extras.  

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“OUR TOWN WITH UNIONS”

By Raymond Benson

This is a little-known gem of a film from producer Louis de Rochemont, the man best known for introducing The March of Time documentary newsreels to cinemas that ran from the 1930s until the early 1950s. He also produced several mainstream pictures, and one of these from 1951, The Whistle at Eaton Falls, is an underdog-battles-severe-odds tale of the highest caliber.

Directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lloyd Bridges, Whistle might be described as Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, only with unions. Yes, this is a union drama along the lines of On the Waterfront or, much later, Norma Rae.

In a tight 96 minutes, Siodmak brings us a riveting story—the kind that gets an audience riled up against the injustices thrown at a protagonist. The suspense builds to a breaking point as we wonder how it’s all going to play out.

The writing credits are a bit complicated. J. Sterling Livingston wrote the original story, but then a story treatment was developed by Lawrence Dugan and Laurence Heath. This was next turned into a screenplay by Lemist Esler and Virginia Shaler (de Rochemont’s wife), with additional dialogue by Leo Rosten! Whatever it took, the movie is well-written and engaging.

Supporting Lloyd Bridges in the cast is a host of young, future character actors such as Murray Hamilton, Ernest Borgnine, Arthur O’Connell, James Westerfield, Parker Fennelly, and Anne Francis. Second billed, though, is Dorothy Gish (actually in a small role). Carleton Carpenter, a crooner/actor of the period, has a showy role as a younger union member who sings a number with Francis (“Ev’ry Other Day”). Each cast member displays a down-home small town persona that works very well with the location filming in New Hampshire, where the story takes place.

In the hamlet of Eaton Falls, a whistle signals the beginning and end of the work day. But there’s trouble. A shoe factory had to close down, laying off its workers. Now, the Doubleday Plastic Factory is losing money and must cut costs to stay in business. Brad Adams (Bridges) is the head of the union, and he is determined to make sure no one gets laid off; and yet, Mr. Doubleday may be forced to cut some workers as more modern machinery is purchased to pave the way for the future. When Doubleday dies in an accident, his wife and now-owner of the plant (Gish), appoints Brad the new president. This doesn’t sit well with some of the crankier union members, like Al Webster (Hamilton, in one of his typical “hothead” roles). To make things worse, the slimy production manager, Hawkins (Russell Hardie) and his cohort, the company’s treasurer (Helen Shields), plot to ruin Brad and convince Mrs. Doubleday to sell the company. This would, of course, be a disaster for the town. Brad soon finds himself at odds with his loyalties to the union and his responsibility as “management.” Eventually, the plant must temporarily close while Brad and his few allies scramble to find solutions to keep the company running while the malcontents threaten upheaval and violence.

This is potent stuff and while it doesn’t have the depth and grit that On the Waterfront brought to the subject three years later, Whistle is still a serious and tension-inducing winner. The cast is marvelous and the black and white cinematography by Joseph C. Brun is striking.

Flicker Alley/Flicker Fusion presents an impressive product. Great care was made to restore the little-seen film to a 2K master, undertaken by the de Rochemont estate and spearheaded by Tom H. March and David Strohmaier, the same team that brought us the Flicker releases of the Cinerama and Cinemiracle films. There is an audio commentary by author and film historian Alan K. Rode.

Supplements include a short remembrance of de Rochemont from his grandson, L. Pierre de Rochemont; a featurette on the restoration of the picture; an isolated score track (music by Louis Applebaum); archival single recordings of Carleton Carpenter’s “Ev’ry Other Day” and (presumably) the B-side, “It’s a Million to One You’re in Love,” and the theatrical trailer. A nice insert contains an essay excerpt from Richard Koszarski’s Keep ‘em in the East—Kazan, Kubrick and the Post-War New York Film Renaissance.

The Whistle at Eaton Falls is a surprise treasure from Flicker. For fans of Hollywood post-war social problem dramas, and of the spectacular cast. Recommended.

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RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES 

In honor of the esteemed actor Nehemiah Persoff, who recently passed away at age 102, we are running this interview originally conducted with Mr. Persoff in 2010 by the late writer Herb Shadrak. 

Nehemiah Persoff: From Jerusalem to Hollywood and Beyond

By Herb Shadrak

Born in Jerusalem in 1919, Nehemiah Persoff went on to become one of the busiest character actors in Hollywood. His face is familiar to millions of boomers across North America from his numerous guest appearances on just about every TV series that aired from the 1950s through the 1990s. Persoff’s name may have been unfamiliar to many of these TV viewers, but his face was instantly recognizable. Filmspot.com describes Persoff as a short, dark and stocky-framed actor who specialized in playing ethnic-type villains, although he frequently essayed sympathetic roles as well. (Witness his heartbreaking moments with Maria Schell in Voyage of the Damned.) Yet he excelled as gangland figures like Johnny Torrio, mentor to Al Capone in the 1959 biopic, or mobster Jake Greasy Thumbs Guzik, a recurring role on The Untouchables.

Persoff's childhood was poverty-stricken, but there was constant singing, dancing and music in his home. He was a very creative and imaginative youngster, who always visited the circus when it came to the Holy City. "There was a large field in Jerusalem where the circus used to set up", Persoff recalls. "It was a very small one-ring circus, but I loved it. Outside the circus was an Arab with a box on a stand with peepholes in it, and he had a small monkey on a chain with a hat. This was enough to make me stand there for hours watching. One day, the Arab let me look through the peepholes. There I saw a funny man with a derby and cane. He had a funny walk. It was Charlie Chaplin! Little did I know that 20 years later I would meet that man face-to-face!"

Persoff found himself drawn to the cinema at an early age. "Two outdoor movie houses were opened on Zion Square: one was called Eden", he said. "It had a circle of bulbs that would light up one after the other. I used to walk down there barefoot and watch the cinema from a post on the street. From that height I could see the top of the screen for free. I think the other outdoor movie house was called Aviv. For its grand opening they showed Ben-Hur with Ramon Novarro. There were pennants hung all over! I guess that was our version of a Hollywood opening.I find that at age 88 my mind goes back to my early childhood more and more. Jerusalem in the late twenties was a place like no other. I cannot imagine a 10-year-old more attached to his birthplace than I was. I was keenly aware of the love that people had for each other, the feeling that we were all tied to the same cause. The pioneers came with nothing but enthusiasm and a love for life and our native land. Their attitude was "to hell with worldly goods, that's not what's important in our lives."

And yet Persoff's father, a silversmith and painter, felt he had no career prospects in Palestine. So the young Persoff emigrated with his family to the United States in 1929, just in time for the Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression. Persoff spent several years working as an electrician on the New York subway system, gradually taking an interest in acting in the 1940's.

"When I started acting, I was working in the subway and there was a rule that subway workers were not allowed to have any other job" Persoff remembers. "So on the program of the play, I used the name Nick Perry. My reviews were great but no one knew it was me, so I got none of the glory. After that I always used ˜Nehemiah Persoff".

After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Persoff started seriously pursuing an acting career in the New York theatre. In 1947, Persoffs big break came along, one that would lead to steady work in films and television for the next 52 years.

"My friend (actor) Lou Gilbert told me that if I wanted to audition for the Actors Studio, he would arrange it. I jumped at the chance. Elia Kazan was one of the busiest directors around, and to study with him and be in his pool of actors was every actor's dream. I was in summer stock playing the lead role in George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple. I knew that Kazan was with the Group Theatre along with writer Clifford Odets. I thought of doing something from an Odets play but then reasoned that perhaps a more classic approach might work better for me, so I did a monologue from Shaw. Two weeks later, I received an invitation to come to the first meeting of the Actors Studio. I took my seat on a bench and slowly looked around. There were John Garfield, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Montgomery Clift, Kim Hunter and Maureen Stapleton, among others. Kazan began to speak and told us his aim was to create a group of actors who work as he does, who speak his language, and that the people assembled in this room were the cream of the talent available. This was heady stuff for a nearly starving young actor. I studied with Lee Strasberg. He was brilliant and helped me find myself as an actor… I owe him much. Among other scenes, I did a Noel Coward piece with Kim Stanley"

After the Actors Studio, Persoff never looked back. His film credits include Kazan's On the Waterfront, The Harder They Fall (Humphrey Bogart's last film), Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man, Never Steal Anything Small (with James Cagney), Rene Clement's This Angry Age (shot in Thailand), Green Mansions (with Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins), The Hook (with Kirk Douglas), A Global Affair (with Bob Hope), Ray Danton's frightfest Psychic Killer, Barbra Streisand's Yentl and Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ.

Persoff also guest starred on about 400 TV shows, including The Twilight Zone (playing a Nazi U-Boat captain in the classic episode "Judgment Night"!), Route 66, Ben Casey, Wagon Train, Rawhide, Mr. Novak, Burke's Law, Honey West, Dan August, The High Chapparal, The Big Valley, The Legend of Jesse James, The Wild Wild West, Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Five-O, Tarzan, It Takes a Thief, Land of the Giants and The Time Tunnel.

In the mid-1980s, Persoff began to pursue painting. Now retired from acting, he devotes full time to this avocation he has always loved.

Cinema Retro spoke to Persoff from his home in Cambria, California. (Continue to next page for interview)

BY EVE GOLDBERG

Ronnie’s, a 2020 documentary, tells the story of Ronnie Scott and his legendary London jazz club.

From the opening sequence in which virtuoso pianist Oscar Peterson and his band perform in an exuberant split screen montage, the film announces itself as a vehicle where style reflects content, and the filmmakers really know how to present their material in a compelling way.

The documentary recounts how Ronnie Scott, a poor Jewish kid from London’s East End, becomes a top British jazz saxophonist in the 1940s and 50s. Eventually tiring of big band swing, and inspired by the new music of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, Scott forms his own Bebop ensemble. In 1959, Scott and his fellow musician and business partner, Pete King, open their own nightclub—Ronnie Scott’s. It doesn’t take long for their club to become the premiere jazz spot in London, and a must-visit venue for jazz musicians and jazz lovers from around the world.

The documentary includes performance clips, some extended, by Miles Davis, Buddy Rich, Nina Simone, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Ben Webster, Sarah Vaughn, Sonny Rollins, Ella Fitzgerald, and others. Much of the performance footage comes from a filmed concert at Ronnie’s in 1969. There’s also a strange, almost cringe-worthy performance by Van Morrison doing “Send in the Clowns,” accompanied by Chet Baker on trumpet.

Besides chronicling the club’s history, the film also tells the story of Scott himself, who was plagued by depression throughout his life. His depression was at times debilitating. Music was his savior—until it wasn’t. Interviewees include Scott, his two significant others, his daughter, business associates, and music luminaries such as Quincy Jones.

Writer/director Oliver Murray and editor Paul Trewartha bring the music, history, and personal tale to life through inspired editorial choices such as presenting almost all the interviews as voice over—leaving more room for the captivating archival and performance footage.

If the film follows the now-clichéd story arc of humble beginnings, to rise-to-the-top success, to fall, to redemption (in this case, the revitalization of Scott’s club after his death), then so be it. Within that familiar trajectory is emotional depth, fascinating cultural history, and, of course, the music.

Ronnie’s is available on DVD from Greenwich Entertainment. It’s also currently streaming on several platforms. 102 minutes. Bonus features: trailers.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Like many boys who grew up in the 1960s, I was addicted to Mad magazine. It's sarcastic satires of politicians and pop culture figures were all the rage and the magazine was a showcase for some truly impressive writers and artists. Mad pushed the envelope in some regards but publisher William Gaines still maintained a family-friendly facade. In 1970 (I assure, that is A.D.), I entered high school a few months after another satire magazine, National Lampoon, published its premiere issue. The first issue I saw featured a striking cover by artist Frank Frazetta that spoofed those old jungle movies. It depicted a courageous white guy saving a scantily clad white woman from a hoard of African natives. It was titled "White Man's Wet Dream". I was hooked before I opened the magazine. National Lampoon became a "must-read" for young people of the era. Unlike Mad, there were no holds barred when it came to off-limits subjects. Anyone and anything was fair game for the team of talented writers and artists, many of whom would go on to notable careers. The sexual content was presented in a humorous manner but it broke barriers in terms of what was depicted. Even the official line of National Lampoon souvenirs were hawked by topless young women. The success of the Lampoon was such that, by 1978, the company entered the movie business. The first release, "National Lampoon's Animal House" made John Belushi into a big screen star and elevated John Landis from obscurity into one of the industry's hottest directors. The film was a sensation so it seemed inevitable that more Lampoon films would emerge- and they did, though none of them were related to the original movie. Chevy Chase starred in some of the popular "Vacation" movies that bore the banner of the Lampoon, but most of the other attempts to blend the magazine concepts to the big screen resulted in rather nondescript productions that had little theatrical exposure before going to home video. By 1998, the magazine itself had run out of steam and ceased publication after a glorious and influential run, although the company name is still actively linked to various TV, video and big screen projects.  

One of the more obscure feature films is "National Lampoon's Movie Madness", a 1982 collection of unrelated comedies stories linked by nothing other than the Lampoon name. As the old joke goes, "the movie wasn't released- it escaped!", as indicated on IMDB, which lists the film's theatrical gross as $63,000, which was probably due to tickets sold to just the people involved in making it. The movie marked the debut of director Bob Giraldi, who promptly left feature films to become one of the top music video directors in the industry. One segment of the film was directed by Henry Jaglom..yes, that Henry Jaglom, the acclaimed director of indie films who has developed a loyal international fan base. It's telling that while Jaglom continued making feature films, he has never worked for a major studio again. The mess of a feature film consists of three separate stories. In "Growing Yourself", Peter Riegert is Jason Cooper, a rich New York Yuppie with a wife (Candy Clark) and two small kids. One day, on a whim, he tells his wife that they should leave each other in order for both them to find the space to "grow". Without batting an eye, she promptly leaves. Jason adopts an increasingly bizarre lifestyle that includes turning his apartment into a jungle of sorts. He pursues unsuccessful relationships with women, including a 14 year-old temptress played by young Diane Lane. At one point, he gives away custody of one of his children to a stranger without batting an eye. When his wife returns later, she informs him that she has gone from housewife to running Union Carbide. The entire scenario is weird but occasionally amusing because the characters simply accept mind-boggling developments with barely a shrug - and Peter Riegert plays the smarmy, self-absorbed Jason with just the right touch.

The second tale is "Success Wanters" and features Ann Dusenberry as an aspiring stripper, Dominique, who makes the ill-fated decision to appear at a convention of executives for the butter industry. Within minutes, the horny, tuxedo-clad, cigar smoking middle-aged execs decide to gang rape her--- and use some handy sticks of butter as useful novelties. This was the early 1980s and group sexual abuse could still be shown to comedic effect, although fortunately, we aren't treated to seeing the dirty deed itself. Instead of going after the rapists legally, she decides to bring down the entire butter industry by making Americans more addicted to margarine (I'm not making this up, folks.) This she achieves by becoming the mistress of a margarine magnate (such people must exist) played by Robert Culp. While he's on his death bed, she gets him to sign his empire over to her and she wields her new powers to mortally wound the butter industry, a strategy that sees her seducing the President of the United States (Fred Willard) and the First Lady. Despite the outrageous scenario, the entire segment is more absurd than funny.

The last, and least, of the segments is "Municipalians",which finds young Robby Benson as a rookie L.A. cop partnered with a season veteran played by Richard Widmark. The entire scenario centers on us watching the hopelessly innocent, naive and perpetually smiling Benson become corrupted by the system and the dehumanizing crimes he's forced to deal with, all unfolding as Widmark sits in the squad car ignoring the violence around him as he counts the days until his retirement. Eventually, Benson becomes a raging lunatic himself. The segment had possibilities in terms of satirizing the cliched scenario of the young cop teamed with the grumpy veteran, but the result is awful in a mind-boggling way. Benson is game to try anything under Jaglom's misdirection but we can assume he was happy that virtually no one saw the film. Only Widmark emerges with his dignity intact. Jaglom later blamed the studio for compromising his segment but if they cut any footage, it was probably considered to be a humanitarian gesture.

Code Red has released "National Lampoon's Movie Madness" on Blu-ray to the joy of bad movie fans and the probable disgust of anyone still alive who was involved in it. The Zucker brothers had the right touch for these types of theatre of the absurd premises but directors Giraldi and Jaglom have heavy hands and are working with pretty awful scripts. The only saving grace is the abundance of veteran actors and up-and-comers who make appearances. They include Elisha Cook, Jr, Rhea Perlman,Tito Vandis (a rare performance that clicks), Joe Spinell, Olympia Dukakis, Dick Miller, Christopher Lloyd, Julie Kavner and even porn superstar Harry Reems. The only one who makes an impression is Henny Youngman, whose 30 seconds of rapid-fire old jokes makes you wish they would have simply used his stand-up act to close out the latter part of the film. From a sociological view, however, it's interesting how audience's tastes have changed over the ensuing years. At times it appears the primary reason for the film's existence was to exploit each of the actresses who appear topless at length in the first two segments, despite the fact that it certainly wasn't essential to the script. Giraldi's cameras linger on the undraped actresses who engage in small talk to justify the exploitation. For those viewers of a certain age, there may be pangs of nostalgia for an era in which no one was overly-concerned about such practices, but judged by today's industry standards, it would be largely unthinkable to film segments such as these.

The Code Red video looks reasonably good and the only bonus feature is a trailer. In viewing it, I came to the conclusion that the studio should have released only the trailer and called it a day. The movie poster artwork depicted on the sleeve seems to be an homage (or rip-off) of Jack Davis's iconic campaign for "Its' a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". Sadly, the comedic analogies end there.

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

First 4K Ultra HD in the Paramount Presents Line Debuts May 17, 2022
with New and Legacy Bonus Content

One of the greatest Westerns in cinematic history arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (HDR) as part of the Paramount Presents line when THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE debuts May 17, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Four-time Academy Award®-winning^* director John Ford brought together an all-star cast for what is considered by many critics to be a quintessential—and yet pioneering—Western late in his storied career.  Starring James Stewart and John Wayne (together for the first time), alongside Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, John Carradine and Lee Van Cleef, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE tells the engrossing story of a senator (Stewart), his old friend (Wayne), and a despicable outlaw called Liberty Valance (Marvin). 

THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE was selected in 2007 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”  Adapted from a short story by Dorothy M. Johnson, the screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck gave us the often-quoted line “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

Meticulously remastered in stunning 4K Ultra HD for its 60^th anniversary this year, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE is presented in collectible packaging featuring a foldout image of the film’s original theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments.  The release also includes access to a Digital copy of the film and a Blu-ray Disc™ with a new Filmmaker Focus featuring film historian Leonard Maltin discussing John Ford, the film, and its legacy.  The Blu-ray™ also includes legacy bonus content as detailed below:

· Filmmaker Focus - Leonard Maltin on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance—NEW!

• Feature commentary by filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, along with his archival recordings with John Ford and James Stewart                                  
• Selected scene commentary with introduction by Dan Ford, along with his archival recordings with John Ford, James Stewart and Lee Marvin                                  
• The Size Of Legends, The Soul Of Myth                                 
• Chapter 1: Changing Of The Guard                                           
• Chapter 2: The Irascible Poet                                     
• Chapter 3: The Hero Doesn't Win, The Winner Isn't Heroic                                            
• Chapter 4: Most Things Happen By Accident                                       
• Chapter 5: The Great Protector                                 
• Chapter 6: Spotlight - Lee Marvin                                             
• Chapter 7: Print The Legend                                       
• Original Theatrical Trailer           

About Paramount Presents

This collectible line spans celebrated classics to film-lover favorites, each from the studio’s renowned library.  Every Paramount Presents release features never-before-seen bonus content and exclusive collectible packaging.  Additional titles available in the Paramount Presents collection on Blu-ray include: Fatal Attraction, King Creole, To Catch a Thief, Flashdance, Days of Thunder, Pretty In Pink, Airplane!, Ghost, Roman Holiday, The Haunting, The Golden Child, Trading Places, The Court Jester, Love Story, Elizabethtown, The Greatest Show on Earth, Mommie Dearest, Last Train From Gun Hill, 48 HRS., Another 48 HRS., Almost Famous, A Place in the Sun, Nashville, Bugsy Malone, Breakdown, The Sheik, Vanilla Sky, Ragtime, Harold and Maude and Ordinary People.

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Paramount:

Paramount Pictures Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Francis Ford Coppala's Cinematic Masterpiece

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – March 1, 2022 — In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award^®-winning^* masterwork The Godfather, Paramount Pictures will be releasing all three films in the epic trilogy on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever on March 22, 2022, with all the films having been meticulously restored under the direction of Coppola.

“I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life,” said Francis Ford Coppola.  “With this 50th anniversary tribute, I’m especially proud Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is included, as it captures Mario and my original vision in definitively concluding our epic trilogy. It’s also gratifying to celebrate this milestone with Paramount alongside the wonderful fans who’ve loved it for decades, younger generations who still find it relevant today, and those who will discover it for the first time.”

Coppola’s masterful film adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel chronicles the rise and fall of the Corleone family and the film trilogy is rightfully viewed as one of the greatest in cinematic history.  In preparation for the 50^th anniversary of the first film’s original release on March 24, 1972, Paramount and Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope undertook a painstaking restoration of all three films over the course of three years.  Every effort was made to create the finest possible presentation for today’s audiences who can watch the films using technology that has advanced dramatically since 2007 when the last restoration was completed by eminent film historian and preservationist Robert Harris.  Using that work as a blueprint, the team spent thousands of hours to ensure that every frame was evaluated to create the most pristine presentation while remaining true to the original look and feel of the films.

The monumental effort included the following:

• Over 300 cartons of film were scrutinized to find the best possible resolution for every frame of all three films.
• Over 4,000 hours were spent repairing film stains, tears, and other anomalies in the negatives.
• Over 1,000 hours were spent on rigorous color correction to ensure the high dynamic range tools were respectful of the original vision of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis.
• In addition to the 5.1 audio approved by Walter Murch in 2007, the original mono tracks on
  The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II have been restored.
• All work was overseen by Coppola.

“We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them,” said Andrea Kalas, senior vice president, Paramount Archives.  “We were able to witness first-hand how the brilliant cinematography, score, production design, costume design, editing, performances, and, of course, screenwriting and direction became famously more than the sum of their parts.  It was our commitment to honor all of the filmmakers’ exceptional work.”

Newly restored and remastered in Dolby Vision, all three films in the landmark trilogy will be released together with HDR-10 on 4K Ultra HD Digital and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray^™ for the first time ever.  The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray set will include The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, and Coppola’s recently re-edited version of the final film, Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.  The disc set includes legacy commentaries by Coppola, as well as access to Digital copies of The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II and Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.

In addition to the widely available 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray set, a 4K Ultra HD Limited Collector’s Edition will also be released in deluxe packaging and includes a hardcover coffee table book featuring stunning photographs, as well as portrait art prints on archival paper.  Both 4K Ultra HD sets include new bonus content including an introduction to The Godfather by Coppola, a featurette about the preservation process, photos by acclaimed photographer Steve Schapiro, home movie footage, and comparisons of the new restoration to earlier versions of the films.  A full list of new and legacy bonus content follows:

NEW BONUS CONTENT:

·         Introduction to The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola

·         Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather—Paramount Pictures archivists detail the incredible restoration process with archival footage showing the evolution of the film through various home entertainment incarnations as picture and audio technologies make quantum leaps over the decades.

·         Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro— In this reflective and frank discussion, special photographer Steve Schapiro shares his unique perspective and cherished memories as a witness to the making of this seminal film.  Commentary on curated archival images makes for a fascinating, never-before-seen addition to the production’s history.

·         The Godfather: Home Movies— An assortment of 8mm home movie footage shot in 1971 offers a candid glimpse into the production of The Godfather.  Shot on location at the Norton family estate on Staten Island’s Emerson Hill, this is the first time it’s been made available to the public.

·         Restoration Comparisons— Before and after highlights showcase extensive picture quality improvements to The Godfather.

LEGACY BONUS CONTENT:

• The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t
• Godfather World
• Emulsional Rescue—Revealing The Godfather
• …when the shooting stopped
• The Godfather on the Red Carpet
• Four Short Films on The Godfather

o The Godfather vs. The Godfather: Part II

o Cannoli

o Riffing on the Riffing

o Clemenza

· The Family Tree

· Crime Organization Chart

· Connie and Carlo’s Wedding Album

· 2008 Credits

· Behind the Scenes

o A Look Inside

o On Location

o Francis Ford Coppola’s Notebook

o Music of The Godfather

§ Nino Rota

§ Carmine Coppola            

o Coppola & Puzo on Screenwriting

o Gordon Willis on Cinematography

o Storyboards – The Godfather: Part II

o Storyboards – The Godfather: Part III

o The Godfather Behind the Scenes 1971

· Additional Scenes

· Galleries

· Trailers

· Acclaim & Response

· Additional Material

· The Filmmakers

· The Godfather: Part III—newly remastered and restored versions of the original theatrical cut and Coppola’s 1991 cut (note: these are exclusive to the 4K Ultra HD Collections)

Newly restored and remastered versions of The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, and Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone will also be available together on Blu-ray^™ with access to Digital copies and the new and legacy bonus content detailed above.

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NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR

Peter Cushing, André Morell, Yvonne Mitchell, Donald Pleasence in a new restoration of

Nigel Kneale’s 1954 adaptation of the George Orwell classic

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the BFI:

BFI Blu-ray/DVD, iTunes and Amazon Prime release on 11 April 2022

George Orwell’s enduring dystopian masterpiece is brought vividly to life in this celebrated BBC production. Adapted by Nigel Kneale (The Quatermass Experiment), NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (directed by Rudolf Cartier) broke new ground for television drama when first broadcast in 1954. On 11 April, tying in with a Nigel Kneale season at BFI Southbank, the BFI brings this classic production to Blu-ray and DVD in a Dual Format Edition, and to DTO via iTunes and Amazon Prime. Experience Orwell’s haunting vision of a society dominated by relentless tyranny and the subversion of truth – a world in which Big Brother is always watching you.

Featuring a stunning central performance from Peter Cushing (The Curse of Frankenstein, Star Wars) as the doomed Winston Smith, this small-screen landmark has been newly restored by the BFI using original film materials from the BBC Archive and the BFI National Archive. Numerous extras include a newly recorded audio commentary by television historian Jon Dear, host of Nigel Kneale podcast Bergcast, with Toby Hadoke and Andy Murray, and a newly filmed conversation between the BFI’s Dick Fiddy and historian Oliver Wake, on the myths that have grown up around the production in the last 60-odd years.

NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR is released alongside the BFI Southbank centenary celebration of screenwriter Nigel Kneale. A season, NIGHTMARES AND DAYDREAMS, runs throughout April in partnership with Picturehouse to commemorate Kneale’s contribution to British television. His adult drama and tense thrillers with a sci-fi or horror slant went on to influence the likes of John Carpenter, Stephen King and Ben Wheatley. Often enthralling and terrifying, Kneale’s visionary work showing on the big screen includes the restored version of NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR. The screening, on Monday 4 April at 6.30pm in NFT1 will be followed by a panel discussion. Other titles screening in the season include FIRST MEN IN THE MOON, QUARTERMASS AND THE PIT, THE YEAR OF THE SEX OLYMPICS and THE WOMAN IN BLACK and there will be a special table reading of OUT OF THE UNKNOWN: THE CHOPPER, as part of the BFI’s Missing Believed Wiped programme.

Picturehouse Crouch End will be hosting a day-long event on Saturday 23 April featuring expert panellists and members of cast and crew looking at Kneale’s film and TV work and his influence and legacy. Events include a live reading of ‘lost’ 1942 radio play YOU MUST LISTEN, and screenings of several of Kneale classics, including THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT: CONTACT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, THE STONE TAPE, AGAINST THE CROWD: MURRAIN and LATE NIGHT STORY: THE PHOTOGRAPH.

Special features

• Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition
• Newly recorded audio commentary on Nineteen Eighty-Four by television historian Jon Dear, host of Nigel Kneale podcast Bergcast, with Toby Hadoke and Andy Murray
• Late Night Line-Up (BBC, 1965, 23 mins): members of the cast and crew look back on the controversies surrounding this adaptation of Orwell’s classic
• The Ministry of Truth (2022, 24 mins): in conversation with the BFI’s Dick Fiddy, television historian Oliver Wake dispels some of the myths that have grown up around the groundbreaking drama over the course of the past half century
• Nigel Kneale: Into the Unknown (2022, 72 mins): writer, actor and stand-up comedian Toby Hadoke and Nigel Kneale biographer and programmer Andy Murray try to unpick who Kneale was, what he did and why his work still matters today
• Gallery of rare images from the BBC Archives
• Original script (downloadable PDF)
• Newly commissioned sleeve artwork by Matt Needle

·         ** First pressing only** Illustrated booklet with essays by Oliver Wake and David Ryan; credits and notes on the special features.

Product details

RRP: £19.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1445 / 12

UK / 1954 / black and white / 113 mins / English language, with optional subtitles for the Deaf and partial hearing / original aspect ratio 1.33:1 // BD50: 1080p/50i, 25fps, mono audio (48kHz/24-bit) / DVD9: PAL, 25fps, Dolby Digital 1.0 mono audio (24kHz/16-bit)

Order from the BFI Shop here:

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/nineteen-eighty-four-dual-format-edition.html

BFI DVD/Blu-ray releases can be ordered from home entertainment online retailers or from the BFI Shop at https://shop.bfi.org.uk/

REVIEW: ANTHONY QUINN DOUBLE FEATURE: "THE MAN FROM DEL RIO" (1956) AND "THE RIDE BACK" (1957); KINO LORBER BLU-RAY RELEASE

REVIEW: "THE DEVIL'S 8" (1969) STARRING CHRISTOPHER GEORGE AND RALPH MEEKER; KINO LORBER/SCORPION BLU-RAY RELEASE

CINEMA RETRO ISSUE #52 NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE; SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW TODAY

Cinema Retro's 18th season begins with issue #52, which is now shipping  worldwide.

Highlights of this issue include:

• "The Sand Pebbles"- James Sherlock explores the trials and tribulations behind the filming of Robert Wise's epic film which gained Steve McQueen his only Oscar nomination.
• "Dr. Syn: Alias the Scarecrow"- Dave Worrall's in-depth history of the character in film and literature, concentrating on the evolution of the Walt Disney three-part TV episodes starring Patrick McGoohan which would later emerge as a feature film.
  
• "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure"- Nick Anez argues it's the best Tarzan film ever and his analysis might convince you to agree with him. Gordon Scott starred as the King of the Jungle and te gang of villains included young Sean Connery.
• "The Pink Panther"- John LeMay presents the fascinating history behind the first film to showcase Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau.
  
• "The Golden Lady"-  Tim Greaves shines the spotlight on the little-seen and little-remembered spy flick that featured a female James Bond-type character- with Desmond Llewelyn in the supporting cast!
  
• "The Bad News Bears"- Robert Leese celebrates the hit comedy with the unlikely teaming of Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal
• "The Crimson Kimono"- Lee Pfeiffer covers director Sam Fuller's controversial and underrated crime thriller that was packed with racial conflicts.
  
• Plus regular columns by Raymond Benson, Gareth Owen, Darren Allison and Brian Hannan.

(Please note: this issue will not be available for individual purchase until some time in January, after all subscriptions have been filled.)

Subscribe or renew your subscription to get this issue as well as issues #53 and #54 when they are printed in 2022.

USA/CANADA: SUBSCRIBE FOR SEASON 18

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Posted by Cinema Retro in Magazine News on Tuesday, February 8. 2022

REVIEW: "SHOWDOWN' (1973) STARRING DEAN MARTIN AND ROCK HUDSON; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY RELEASE

REVIEW: "THE HUNTING PARTY" (1971) STARRING OLIVER REED, CANDICE BERGEN AND GENE HACKMAN; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY RELEASE

REVIEW: "THE SHERLOCK HOLMES VAULT COLLECTION" BLU-RAY RELEASE FROM FILM DETECTIVE

FLICKER ALLEY RELEASES "THE WHISTLE AT EATON FALLS"

REVIEW: "A MAN CALLED ADAM" (1966) STARRING SAMMY DAVIS JR; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY RELEASE

STREAMING REVIEWS: THE BEATLES IN "GET BACK" / "JOHN & YOKO: ABOVE US ONLY THE SKY" (DISNEY+ AND NETFLIX)

TCM REMEMBERS THOSE WE LOST IN 2021

REVIEW: "SLOW DANCING IN THE BIG CITY" (1978) STARRING PAUL SORVINO; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY RELEASE

REVIEWS: "FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER" (1958) AND "THE AMAZING MR. X" (1948); FILM DETECTIVE BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONS

REVIEW: "TORA! TORA! TORA!" (1970) SPECIAL EDITION ON BLU-RAY

REVIEW: "WHO'S MINDING THE STORE?" (1963) STARRING JERRY LEWIS; OLIVE FILMS BLU-RAY RELEASE

REVIEW: ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S "NUMBER SEVENTEEN" (1932); KINO LORBER BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION